The Curse of Metal Alice
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: Following on from "Lights, Camera, Rangers!" The Rangers have a lot to deal with. Between the murder of General Edwards, and Emma revealing herself to her parents, not to mention the emergence of a new threat in Vrak's latest follower, Metal Alice. But is there more to her than meets the eye? And are the final days of the war really at hand?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This story will cover the final arc of the current season of Megaforce. Note that I'm going to be seriously changing up Metal Alice's character, and a lot of the details surrounding the robot section of the war. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, places, characters, events etc. Anything not covered by the above rights should be considered to be purely the creation of the author.

**Rating:** T-Will contain mild adult themes and language.

Gia just continued to stare, unable to believe what Emma had done. It was one of the first things all of the Rangers had been told after their first battle. Knowledge of their true identities was a dangerous thing to have. While the Space Rangers, most of whom had been forced to live underground, or flee the world altogether after their tenure were a somewhat extreme version of a cautionary tale, they had already experienced some of the pitfalls of people finding out who they were.

Ernie had put his life on the line to save Gia from Spider's bomb before he let her know that he knew who she was. Cat had been targeted before, and then there was Spider...a guy that through virtue of knowing who they were had not only been turned into a monster, but because he threatened to expose their identities if he wasn't set free, had been subjected to...well...they still didn't know what Gosei had done to him, but since he was now in a psychiatric secure unit within the prison, under regular sedation to keep him under control, they weren't certain they wanted to know.

Now, Jordan's dad, General Edwards, had been murdered by Metal Alice, likely for no other reason than he was connected to the Rangers, even if he didn't actually know who they were.

Eric and Louise...to say they were speechless, the word would have had to be redefined. In one afternoon, they had seen General Edwards being buried, found out Wayne was leaving town, and now as they were trying to discuss whether or not there was some way they could raise the capitol to buy out Wayne's shares in Cerberus, Emma had come into the room, announced she had something to tell them, and before anyone could stop her had morphed into the Pink Ranger before their very eyes. After a pause that seemed to last for hours, Emma took off her helmet, looking down at her father and his girlfriend.

"Um...I should probably tell Cat to call back." Gia told them, heading back upstairs. Emma just remained, waiting for her dad or Louise to say something, anything at all about the revelation.

"You're...you're the Pink Ranger?" Eric finally asked her. Emma just nodded wordlessly. It had weighed heavily on her heart keeping this from him for all those months. Since she'd lost her mother, she and her dad had been inseparable. There was nothing they didn't tell each other, nothing they couldn't share. Emma had even told him about Gia's sexuality, and the fact that she had been in love with her before she asked him if it would be alright if she moved in. The thing she hated more than anything else was the lies she had to tell her father so that he wouldn't find out. She had gone along with what everyone told her that it was for her own good, but now after all this time, after he and Louise had already been kidnapped once, and General Edwards had ended up dead, she had finally had enough. How could keeping him in the dark keep him safe now? How could he defend himself if he didn't even know what he was defending himself from? "How?...When?"

"I've been the Pink Ranger since the Rangers first showed up." She told him, tears beginning to run down her face. "I've...I've been the Pink Ranger all this time."

"And Gia knew..." Louise started to say, before it finally clicked. Of course Gia knew...all those injuries, the sudden interest in improving her Martial Arts...all those bruises and injuries she suffered in training with Troy... "Giana Ciara Moran! Come down here right now!"

"How though?" Eric asked, still completely confused as to what was going on. "All those weapons...the powers..."

"We were given our powers by an alien called Gosei." She started to explain as Gia got down the stairs, looking a little sheepish. Even at 17, she knew she was in deep trouble when her mom middle-named her. "He...he's the son of the one that gave the first Ranger team their powers 20 years ago. He picked us to become the latest team of Rangers to battle the Warstar."

"Really?" Louise asked, throwing up her hands. "So out of all 7 billion people in the world, when there are trained soldiers, marines, police, Government Agents...he chose two seventeen year old girls?"

"Sixteen." Emma murmured. "We...um...we were still 16 when we were chosen."

"Oh, that is just perfect!" Louise responded sharply. "Wait...that group you hang around with...you're not telling me...?"

Emma just nodded. It wasn't that they had anything against them, but the fact was, before the beginning of the year, she and Gia didn't really hang around with Noah and Jake. They knew who they were, sure, but only as passing acquaintances. Troy, he was the new kid in town, and yet they had started hanging out with him almost as soon as he had arrived. Jordan was almost the same story, they seemed to take to hanging out with him with seemingly no explanation. It wasn't like Louise wasn't happy to see them expanding their social circles beyond each other, but now it all just seemed to make sense.

"Oh, great, that's just..."

"Louise, try to calm down." Eric told her.

"They're KIDS Eric!" Louise yelled at him. "This Gosei has taken KIDS and thrown them into a freaking war! People have died!"

"I'm not happy about it either." Eric stated, stroking her shoulders, trying to calm her down. He looked to Emma. "Um...can you...you know...change back or whatever you call it?"

Emma activated the command to de-morph, continuing to look down at Eric's feet as he approached her. She couldn't bear to look at him, knowing that he had to be disappointed in her, that she had lied to him all this time. He put a hand under her chin, lifting her head up to look at him.

"Why didn't you come to me?" He asked her.

"I wanted to." She told him honestly, wiping her tears from her eyes. "I wanted to so many times, but Gosei...he kept telling us that it was for the best that people didn't know. We were made to swear right from the start that we wouldn't tell anyone...it was one of the rules..."

"Rules?" Louise asked them. "This alien press-ganged you into a war, then gives you rules to make you lie to your parents about it?"

"It's not exactly like that." Gia explained. "We're not allowed to use our powers for personal gain. If we do, we'll lose them."

"We're not allowed to escalate a battle. We can only respond with necessary force." Emma continued.

"I guess that explains why you don't just bring out those giant robot things..."

"Zords." Emma told him. "Um...they were named after Zordon, Gosei's dad."

"Why you don't just call your Zords and stomp the monsters flat from the get go." He corrected himself. "But that Robo Knight guy...?"

"Yeah...we had a few teething problems with Jordan." Gia stated. "It's a long story."

"And we were told that for the safety of the people we care about, we weren't meant to tell anyone our identities." Emma concluded. "We haven't been stripped of our powers when others..."

"Wait...others?" Louise asked. "Other people know about this?"

"Former Rangers mostly." Gia explained. "We have...kind of an understanding it's alright if other Rangers know, as long as no one starts revealing the identities of anyone that's not been revealed."

"I really didn't want to keep this from you for so long." Emma told them, her voice cracking a little under the strain. "I know I've lied, and I know I've kept stuff from you, but I thought I was doing the right thing. Now though, after everything, after General Edwards...I just...I can't do it anymore. How can you stay safe if you don't know you're in danger?"

Eric looked into Emma's eyes and all he could see was his little girl, completely breaking her heart. He had never kept much from her, but he knew all too well that sometimes there were things he just couldn't tell her. He had only reluctantly told her about some of the things he had to do in the course of his work after she found out about how he saved Gia from her father...thinking about it now, he realised that she hadn't found out at all. The Pink Ranger had been there. Emma had seen it with her own eyes when Eric had turned a gun on Mr Moran.

"I'm really sorry dad." She whimpered. Eric just pulled her in, hugging her tightly.

"I understand." He told her. "Thank you for finally telling us."

As Gia looked to her mom, Louise just sighed and shrugged.

"Well, I guess I'm not happy about all the lies." She told her daughter. "But...I guess it's better late than never."

"If it means anything, I can see why this...Gosei...has chosen you both." Eric assured Emma. "That said, I think it's probably for the best if we don't exactly go letting everyone know. Not everyone is exactly friendly to the Rangers."

"Don't we know it?" Gia groaned, rolling her eyes. "But I guess, I am kind of glad we don't have to lie to the two of you about this anymore."

"Wait...you're not seriously thinking about...you're really going to keep doing this do you?" Louise asked.

"I don't really think we have a choice in the matter." Gia answered. "It's kind of our duty now."

"I guess I can understand that." Eric replied. "Alright, it's um...it's been a big day. I think it's for the best we all just get some rest."

"Dad..."

"Emma, please, I've just had kind of a lot of information for one day." He told her. "I really just need some time to process it all."

Emma just nodded, before she and Gia headed upstairs to their room. Eric just sat on the couch, running his hands through his hair as Louise came to his side.

"I guess a lot of things make a lot more sense now." He replied as he took a small drink from his glass.

"Eric, what are we going to do about this?" She asked him.

"What can we do?" He asked her. "I guess we do what any parents do. We just sit at home, and hope that everything we've taught them lets them make the right choices."

"In the meantime, we just have to go out of our minds with worry, hoping that they actually come home each night?" She shrieked. He just nodded.

"I guess so." He answered as he held her closely.

In her underwater base, Metal Alice was working on some computers when Vrak appeared on the viewing screen.

"My Lord!" she greeted him.

"Admiral Malkor's transformation is underway. There is no way I can guarantee how long he will be in his cocoon." He told her. "Are things progressing down there?"

"The systems in the base are running at eighty five percent efficiency." She informed him.

"Eighty Five percent?" He asked in response. "Time is of the essence. The Rangers will not be left reeling from the General's assassination for long, and Malkor is getting closer to hatching from his cocoon each day. How long until we can send...?"

"Anything over twenty percent efficiency should be enough to destroy a city." She told him. "I already have a preliminary design in the process of being created."

Punching in a few commands, there was a massive cloud of smoke from the corner of the room, before a door opened. She stood aside to let Vrak see the robot stepping out of the machine.

"I'd like you to meet Rotox." She introduced him. "The next generation in robotic technology, and the one that will make all the creatures in Malkor's army obsolete."

"I see you've been busy." He commented. "What exactly can this robot do?"

"I'll give you a demonstration." She stated, converting her tablet into sword mode, before rushing towards Rotox. She hammered into the machine a couple of times, before he swung a hand, smashing her across the room. Her left leg was ripped completely from her body, exposing wiring and circuitry. She called Rotox off, before retrieving her tablet, and pulling herself to her one remaining leg on the console.

"As you know, you created me as your most powerful weapons system." Metal Alice reminded him as her severed leg returned to her, re-attaching itself and activating the self-repair system. "Nothing the Rangers possess will be a match for his strength."

"You are as cunning as you are indestructible." He replied, sounding impressed. "How long until he is ready for battle?"

"He is already complete." Metal Alice told him.

"Then have him powered up and sent out immediately." Vrak instructed her. "Take advantage of the Rangers' fractured state of mind."

"My Lord, if I may make a recommendation, the human body operates at its least efficient early in the morning, shortly after waking up." She told him. "It would be tactically prudent to wait for now and attack in the early hours at first light."

"That is quite cunning." He complimented her.

"I do not possess cunning." She corrected him. "That would be a human trait. I possess merely the ability to process probability and strategic analysis."

"Whatever, just send Rotox to battle them when you see fit." He told her. As the screen went dark, Metal Alice approached Rotox, inspecting him thoughtfully.

"This test will be a tremendous opportunity to gather data." She stated. "And dare I say...more than a little fun."

Early the next morning, Troy was having breakfast with his parents when Jordan came into the room. He was dressed in sports gear, and carrying a soccer ball.

"So, when are we heading to the park?" Jordan asked him. Mr Burrows just looked to him sympathetically.

"Jordan, are you sure about this?" He asked. "No one expects you to just shrug this off."

"Staying in my room isn't going to help either." Jordan stated. "I'm going back to school on Monday, and the Stone Canyon game's been re-scheduled. I need to figure out tactics with Jake."

"Look, no one wants to see you feeling better than I do." Troy assured him. "But, there is such a thing as rushing it. The funeral was only yesterday."

"Yeah, so now that's been dealt with." Jordan answered. Troy was more than a little troubled by his answer, and by the looks of things, his parents were a little troubled by it too. By now, they knew that Jordan had found out that General Edwards wasn't really his father. They knew it had been a shock, and that his relationship with the General had been strained at best, but since the funeral, it was like he was trying to shut the whole thing out. He was acting as though the fact General Edwards wasn't his biological father should mean that his death was meaningless to him.

"Jordan..."

"I said I'm fine." Jordan told them. "Now, the sooner I can get back to normal, the better."

This was kind of a difficult thing to hear. Indeed, they did want him to get to as close to a normal life as possible. He was going to have to get back to a routine at some point or another, but it didn't seem healthy the way he was trying to just pretend that General Edward's passing meant nothing to him. No matter how difficult their relationship had been, no matter what the truth of their lack of a blood relationship was, it had to have had at least some impact on him.

"I've already called the others." Troy informed Jordan, as much to assure his parents that Jordan wouldn't be alone as anything else. "They're going to meet us out there."

"Well, it is a nice day out." Mr Burrows told them as Jordan started to load up his plate with toast. "Give me a call later and I can pick you up."

Jordan just nodded as he started on his breakfast. He didn't really want to talk, he didn't really want to think much about anything. Time to think was precisely the last thing he needed. Right now, he needed to be doing something, anything at all to keep his mind occupied. Vrak hadn't been kind enough to send anything for him to destroy lately, likely for exactly this reason. Until he had something to beat into submission, he guessed a game of soccer with his friends was going to have to suffice.


	2. The First Robot

At the park, Gia and Emma were leaning on the rail by the edge of the lake as Jake, Noah, Troy and Jordan played soccer. Although Troy and Noah weren't actually on the school team, they had agreed to help out where Jordan needed more than two opponents to demonstrate some of his 'tactics' for dealing with the much more physical Stone Canyon team. Most people knew the Stone Canyon Cavemen by reputation.

They were described as a 'physical' or 'rugged' team, but that was really just a euphemism for 'rough as all hell'. They thought nothing about keeping other players off the ball by virtually any means necessary, including having a number of dirty plays that were designed to keep some pretty blatant rules infractions out of the view of the ref. A lot of their games were known for two thing, an unusually high number of warnings and yellow cards, and most of the opposing team limping off the field. It wasn't a style that Harwood was used to, and in the last seven years, of the fourteen games they had played, Harwood had only won four. Jordan was hoping to change that, by showing his team mates how to counter the 'tactics' favoured by the Stone Canyon defenders.

As Noah hung off Jordan, holding him back, Jordan quickly shifted his weight, dumping him hard on the ground. Quinn let out a little squeal from the bench she was sitting on nearby.

"Wow...um...Jordan's pretty intense when he gets going." Emma commented. Gia just nodded wordlessly, before looking back to the lake. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm just thinking about how messed up things are getting." Gia admitted. "I thought when we dealt with the mutants, things would start to get better, but if anything they're getting worse."

"Gia..."

"Emma, I know why you told our parents, trust me, I get it. I've thought about telling mom so many times." She carried on. "I miss Cat like crazy. Honestly, it terrifies me to think that one day she'll get fed up waiting for a girlfriend hundreds of miles away that has probably the most insane life in history and cuts her losses, but at the same time, I'm glad she's safe. If I had my way, I'd send mom out of town too."

"It is getting pretty intense." Emma admitted. "I mean, I know our friends, our families are always in danger here, but the way Alice...um...you know..."

She just jerked her head in Jordan's direction just as he was wrestling Jake off him, sending him to the ground. Allison called out in disapproval from the sidelines, screaming at Jordan for the unnecessary and highly illegal manoeuvre.

"I have to admit I'm kind of worried about him." Gia told her best friend sadly. "I don't claim to be a psychologist or anything, but he just...it doesn't seem right the way he's acting."

"Troy's worried about him too." Emma informed her. Troy had called her a few times, just to keep her up to date on what was happening, and more importantly so they could just talk and help each other through this difficult time. "He told me, that Jordan hasn't cried once since his dad died."

"I can't think what that did to him." Gia commented. "And what about that whole thing? The General wasn't even his dad? I mean...I know I've sometimes wished my dad wasn't my dad, there was some mistake or something...but to find out like that...?"

"I doubt there's a great way to find out." Emma sighed. "But just imagine, how he found out...he only found out when he couldn't donate the blood...the blood the General needed to survive."

"I was trying not to think about that part." Gia replied with a shudder. "I just wish Jordan would, you know, show us some emotion. Let us know what's going on in his head."

"Yeah, Jordan's never been too great at that." Emma answered.

"And look how that's ended in the past." Gia replied.

"I know, but unless he lets us in on what he's thinking, there's not much we can do." Emma answered dejectedly. "Until then, all we can do is give him space, and hope he talks to someone before..."

"Before he goes all Psycho Robo Knight?" Gia asked. Emma didn't answer, but that was a huge concern for all of them. "There's something else isn't there?"

"It's just a thought I've been having." Emma told her. "Metal Alice went after the General...but she hasn't gone after any of the rest of our families."

"Maybe..."

"Gia, think about it, it's been over a week since it happened, and we haven't seen or heard a thing from her." Emma reminded her. Gia was about to answer, but thinking about it, she had to admit that it was odd. She had murdered the General, but hadn't done anything else since then. She hadn't even shown up anywhere, or sent any form of attack, at all. It was almost as if the General had been her only intended target. It was almost like she hadn't come back, because she had accomplished what she wanted to. "Why hasn't she done anything since then?"

"Hey Emma, do you have your camera?" Quinn called over.

"I always do." Emma replied, reaching for her camera bag.

"Well, why don't you get a few shots of us together?" Allison asked her. "When the guys stop kicking the crap out of each other, maybe we'll get them to join us."

"I doubt it'll take long for them to lose interest in soccer." Emma chuckled as she heard the jingle of an ice-cream truck coming up the path. Gia made her way beside Quinn and Allison, posing for them. "Alright guys, everybody smile."

Meanwhile, in the underwater base, Metal Alice was continuing her work on completing the systems, when her internal chronometer became aware of the time. It was early in the day, long before the humans would operate at peak efficiency, but late enough that the Rangers would be up and about. She turned to the corner, where Rotox was powering up.

"Now Rotox, the time has come for the Rangers to face the new generation of destructive technology." She told him as she powered him up for the attack. "Show them why extinction is the inevitable end of their pathetic species."

With that, she activated a command, and Rotox teleported out of the base, heading for the city.

Back at the park, the Rangers, Quinn and Allison were all sitting out on the grass, enjoying some ice-cream. It looked like it was going to be a pleasant day all in. Jordan was quiet, but they had pretty much expected that by now.

"These pictures really turned out great." Allison complimented Emma as she scrolled through them on the camera. "You're going to have to send me a copy."

"No problem." Emma said with a little smile as she pulled Troy into herself. "I always appreciate fans of my photography."

"Your work's really great." Quinn told her. "Mr Evans' been talking about doing a new brochure for the wildlife park for ages, maybe I can talk to him about hiring you."

Before she could answer, their morphers all bleeped. Troy excused himself and got up, heading a safe distance from them.

"Um...what was that?" Quinn asked them. Noticing Jake and Noah stumbling around their words, trying to find a suitable explanation, Gia looked to Emma, who had a little bit of a smug smile. It was one issue that they now no longer had. Cat knew about them, and had done for a while. Troy, well, he was one of them, and now with Eric and Louise knowing about them, they wouldn't have to lie anymore when their morphers sounded an alert. Gia knew that she would probably consider suggesting to the others that they let some of those they trusted in on their secret.

"It's...um..." Noah stammered, trying to come up with an explanation.

"Guys, it's that delivery we were waiting on." Troy told them as he got back. "We need to go."

"Sorry Allison, it looks like we're going to have to cut this short." Jake told her.

"What kind of delivery?" Quinn asked as they all started to gather up their things.

"It's...it's a surprise." Noah stammered out. "It's something Jake and Emma are planning for Thanksgiving."

Both of them just glared at Noah. It was an explanation of sorts, but it also kind of landed the in it. Being the Senior Class President, and Vice President, it wouldn't be too hard to believe that they'd be responsible for setting something up for Thanksgiving for the school. Of course, that now meant they would actually have to...and he was pretty sure they had other things on their minds.

"Really? Is it a float for the pep rally?" Allison asked, looking excited.

"Um...it's...quite something." Jake replied. "You'll have to wait and see."

"We'll...uh...we'll meet you at the Brainfreeze!" Gia chipped in. "We'll be there soon!"

As they all ran off, Noah felt two hands slapping him across the back of the head.

"Ow, sorry, it was all I could think of!" He protested.

"Well, you're helping us with it." Jake replied. "Cause right now, I'm drawing a blank.

In the Warehouse district, Rotox was making his way through the area, making no effort to hide himself. He wasn't programmed for stealth, he was programmed for combat, and he only had one objective, the Rangers and Robo Knight. Doing a quick analysis of the district, he powered up to 21 percent of his maximum power, finding no significant threats to himself in the area.

Building up momentum, he turned himself into a wheel, and drove himself straight through the wall of a warehouse, sending concrete and steel flying. He quickly resumed his warrior mode and started to look around, analysing the threat level in the area. Numerous workers had already started to panic and scatter seeing him.

There were a few explosive chemicals and compounds in the area, but after a quick analysis, he surmised nothing had the force required to penetrate his armour, and so he proceeded with stage one of his plan. His programming informed him that most of the city's production came from this neighbourhood. If it was destroyed, it would take weeks for industry to recover. The statistical probability of the rangers showing up to stop him quickly was over ninety nine percent.

After blasting some gas tanks, setting off an explosion and starting a fire that would quickly engulf this warehouse, and would probably spread quickly to neighbouring units, he pursued the workers. His data informed him that the Rangers paid more attention to humans in danger than mere property damage.

"The reign of robots is at hand!" He called out, beginning to open fire at the fleeing robots. He checked his internal chronometer. The average response time for a monster attack was approximately 3 minutes 37 seconds. It wouldn't be long before they showed up. He increased his power output to 39 percent in preparation for their arrival.

On the way to the Warehouse district, Jordan's cell phone started to ring. He checked the caller ID, finding a name appearing on the screen that had been programmed in only days before. He cursed loudly as he stopped. The other Rangers noticed him stopping and followed suit.

"Jordan!" Gia called out. "Come on!"

"It's the cops!" Jordan replied as he answered. General Edward's murder was still an ongoing murder investigation. Jordan couldn't exactly explain who had really killed him without having to answer a whole lot of questions as to who he really was. He had also been found at the scene with a few injuries himself from his battle with Metal Alice earlier in the day. In a desperate attempt to find something he could tell the police, he had come up with a story that he had walked in on a home invasion. He'd tried to be as sparing as possible with the details, but the fact was a murder investigation was still a pretty big deal, even in a city like Harwood where sadly, casualties were becoming a fact of life. A detective had given Jordan his number and informed him he'd call if he had any information.

"Jordan, this is Detective Barnes." A voice on the other end began. "I'll try not to take up too much of your time. We think we might have found a lead in the case."

"Right, um..." Jordan started to say, trying to think of what exactly he could say or do about it. He held a hand over the mouthpiece. "It's Detective Barnes."

"What?" Jake asked. "Well...what does he want?"

"That's...um...what do you have?" Jordan asked him.

"I'm sorry, but I'd really rather not discuss the matter over the phone." Detective Barnes told him. "There are some things we need to talk about. How soon can you be at the station?"

Jordan covered the mouthpiece with his hand again, looking to the others.

"He wants me to go to the station." He told the others. "He wants me to answer some questions."

Troy thought about it for a moment, before looking to Jordan.

"Go." He told Jordan.

"Troy..."

"We've got no idea how long this'll take." Troy reminded him. "We really don't need to get the cops looking too closely at you."

"But Troy, the police station is miles away!" Emma reminded him. "It'll take Jordan ages to get there an back!"

"Look, we want you with us too, but this is important." Troy told him. "Go and find out what Detective Barnes wants, and get back to us as soon as you can."

Jordan hated this idea. He hadn't had the chance to let out his anger in all this time, and the first time an opportunity came up, he was being forced to run off and talk to the police, waste time with an investigation that he already knew was pointless. He already knew who the killer was, and he knew that it was more likely he could bring her to justice than any police investigation could. In the end though, he couldn't doubt what Troy had said. For now, he was the grieving son, who should want the police to do everything they could to find his dad's killer. If he didn't act like it, he would only arouse suspicion.

"I can be there soon." Jordan told him.

"You're underage, so you'll need an adult with you." Detective Barnes told him. "I can arrange for someone to be here."

"Thanks." Jordan answered. "I'll be there soon."

As he hung up, he cursed loudly, and looked like he was going to throw his cell phone away, but looked to the others.

"I'm sorry about this guys." He told them. "I'll be as quick as I can."

"Just take care." Troy answered as Jordan ran in the opposite direction, before they resumed their journey.

As they made their way to the Warehouse District, they morphed, arriving prepared for battle. Hearing some screams from one of the factories, they arrived to see some workers being chased away.

"What kind of monster is that?" Jake asked, seeing Rotox standing before them. He looked completely unlike anything they had faced before now. Completely armoured, with a battery of guns across most of his body, on a kind of rotating wheel, he looked bizarre, even compared to what they were used to.

"That's not a monster." Noah replied, performing a quick scan of it. His visor showed that this was the source of the high power level Tensou had warned them about, but most importantly, it showed no life signs whatsoever. "That's...that's a robot."

"I guess Metal Alice finally decided to play the first card in her deck." Troy stated. "It doesn't matter either way. He's going down."

Rotox scanned the Rangers, assessing their threat level, before coming up with his opening strategy. He raised his power levels to 68 percent output to be on the safe side.

"So, you're the Power Rangers huh?" He asked as he transformed into his wheel form. "Let me show you how I roll!"

He revved up, before burning off, rolling towards them at incredible speed. The Rangers tried to avoid him, but before they were prepared for the assault, he managed to smash through all of them, leaving them all struggling on the ground. Still a little stunned, Noah started to pull himself to his feet.

"Show us how he rolls?" Noah groaned as he steadied himself on his feet. "Man, even when the enemies are robots they still come with pointless bad puns. Why would Metal Alice waste the programming space?"

"That was brutal." Gia grumbled, nodding in agreement.

"He totally needs one of those 'how's my driving' stickers." Jake complained.

"That was a blast!" Rotox called out, firing off his battery of cannons. The resulting explosions drove the Rangers back into one of the warehouses, and left them more than a little shaken up. It was quickly becoming apparent that since switching from biological monsters to robots, their opponents weren't becoming any weaker.

"You humans really are weak!" He commented as he arrived in the doorway. "There's no way you'll break through my defences. Magna beam!"

Before they knew what was happening, he brought what had to be over a ton of scrap metal flying towards him, before forming it into a shield.

The Rangers fired off a salvo from their Megaforce Blasters, but far from doing any noticeable harm, all the shots rebounded harmlessly off his shield.

"Not a Scratch!" He stated, almost as though taunting them.

"What?" Gia screeched. "How?"

"My shield protected me, but nothing will protect you from my shield!" He yelled, throwing the bladed shield at them. Figuring out the angles, he caused it to rebound off a beam, slicing through the Rangers, before hitting a corner and flying back to him. The Rangers found themselves once more on the ground.

"No way!" Gia complained. "This guy's relentless, there's no opportunity to counter, he just keeps attacking!"

"He's a machine, he must not tire like the other monsters." Noah reminded them.

"Just once, I wish you could give us some good news." Jake said as they prepared for another attack.


	3. Rotox

Jordan arrived in the lobby of the police station, making his way to the desk. The sergeant there looked up at him as he arrived.

"I'm Jordan Edwards." He announced, looking a little agitated. It was absolutely dreadful timing that they called him now of all times. They'd had well over a week to analyse his home for clues, and yet they only called him just as he was finally getting a chance to get into action. He had been aching for this ever since he had seen his father lying on the floor, bleeding to death before his eyes. He didn't need the police; he didn't even need the other Rangers. He already knew what he needed. He just needed to end this war, to get his hands on Metal Alice, and tear her apart piece by piece. He didn't care who he needed to go through to do it, after all, by now the only thing that mattered was ending the war before anyone else had to die, and the best way to do that...to annihilate everyone and everything that stood before them. Only when there were no more aliens or robots or mutants or...whatever, that was when the Earth would truly be safe. This was just a distraction he could do without. "I'm here to see Detective Barnes."

"Certainly, come right this way, she's waiting for you." He told Jordan. Just then, his morpher bleeped to alert him to the danger. He already knew about the battle, but there wasn't really much he could do about it. "Sorry, there are no cell phones back here. I'm going to have to take that."

Jordan reluctantly turned off his Robo Morpher, handing it over. The officer furrowed his brows as he saw it.

"Weird cell phone." He commented. "Kind of big isn't it?"

"Yeah, but you know...I like it." Jordan replied, turning off his cell phone and handing it over too. The officer just looked to him, holding up the second phone.

"Lots of people have more than one phone." He reminded him. The desk sergeant just shrugged, putting both phones in a plastic bag and placing them behind the desk, before pulling out a ledger, taking down the number from the bag. He presented it to Jordan.

"Just sign here to say we took them." He stated, pointing to the ledger. "You'll get them back when you leave; it just keeps us covered and proves you got them back."

Jordan just sighed and signed them in. He didn't want to give up his morpher, he just wanted to get this over with so he could go and destroy whatever Vrak had sent after them this time and be done with it. Returning the ledger, the desk sergeant gestured Jordan to follow him.

"Alright, it's just this way." He stated, leading Jordan down the hall. Jordan followed, finding himself in an office behind the main reception area.

"Detective Barnes, Jordan Edwards is here." He announced. A detective got up from her desk, making her way towards Jordan, inspecting him thoughtfully. She was a little shorter than him, with a light build. She seemed quite pale, with long, blonde hair tied back into a ponytail, and light blue eyes. She was wearing a t-shirt, with a Maine logo across the chest, and tight blue denims. On her hip, she had a holster, keeping her automatic pistol.

"Jordan, you're a bit sooner than I expected." She told him. "Did you bring...?"

"I didn't have a chance to stop at home." He told her. She looked to the desk sergeant.

"Can you call child services and ask them to send a social worker?" She asked. As the desk sergeant left, Jordan just looked to her.

"Why do you need...?"

"It's just procedure." She assured him. "There's some stuff I need to go over with you. We think we may have some leads, but we'll need your help. Would you like a soda or something while you wait?"

"I'll be good thanks." Jordan answered. She pulled out a chair and offered it to him.

"Well, it shouldn't be long until the social worker gets here." She told him. "Make yourself comfortable. I just have a few things to check on."

As she left, Jordan just sat, staring out the window, hoping that whatever they wanted him for, they would let him go soon. There were better things he could be doing. He would get justice much more quickly and efficiently than the police ever could. He looked down to his fist, and his armour encased it as he thought about the battle going on without him. The sooner everyone left him alone to do what needed to be done, the better.

Back at the Warehouse district, the Rangers were being sent sprawling this way and that with every attack. Rotox was obviously a strong opponent, easily as strong as any foe they had ever faced. What made him all the more dangerous though was the fact that as a machine, there was no let up in his attacks. Every blow was just as hard as the one that came before it.

It wasn't as though they weren't dangerous, but generally the Warstar and the Mutants could be relied upon to space out their attacks, and for their attacks and even their defences to get weaker as time went on. Regardless of their different physiology, the fact was under all the bizarre powers and exotic weaponry, their opponents up until now had all been flesh and blood. They got tired, they got sloppy, they made bad choices...Rotox had none of those difficulties.

As Emma landed in some junk, having taken another assault from Rotox's shield. Noah pulled her into cover, just before an energy blast scorched the ground right where she had been lying.

"Thanks, that was close." Emma told him, feeling the strain of the battle. Their suits had taken a pounding, and so their power levels were already depleted. They had also been softened up quite a bit from all the attacks. "He doesn't let up with that shield; he's like a demented Captain America! Doesn't he ever stop?"

"He's a robot Emma, he doesn't get tired." Noah reminded her. "Presuming his power cell doesn't run out, every attack will be just as powerful and he can attack all day without stopping."

"Well, doesn't he need to stop and think or something?" She asked.

"His brain's a computer." Noah reminded her. "It can process information a lot faster than humans. Presuming he's got the right tactical software, he can think of hundreds of strategies in seconds."

"Great, that's just perfect!" Gia stated as she ducked down behind some girders, narrowly avoiding being beheaded by another shield throw attack. "At least tell us we can injure..."

"No pain receptors." Noah interrupted her. "That's why he doesn't back off when he gets hit. Unless we cause disabling damage, you know...enough harm to completely stop something working, all the damage we do will be purely cosmetic."

"Sometimes I hate how smart you are." Emma Jake grumbled as he was thrown into the wall, his Snake Axe clattering to the floor a little way from him. "What about the good news?"

"He isn't alive, so there's no ethical quandary about destroying him like there was with the mutants." Noah pointed out. "He wasn't coerced into this against his will because...he doesn't have any will. He isn't a victim, just a fancy weapon, and he doesn't suffer no matter what we do, so that pretty much rules out any options of making him submit or appealing to his sense of self-preservation."

"And that helps us...how?" Gia asked him.

"It means we don't have to treat him with kid gloves." Troy announced. "It's like Noah said, he won't quit unless he's told to. The only way to defeat him is to destroy him, so we throw out the usual play book. Ignore any thoughts of reasoning with him and go straight for taking him out."

"Alright, let's rush him, all at once!" Jake suggested. "If we go from different sides, one of us should be able to get him."

With the lack of a better plan, the Rangers all left their hiding spots, running towards him. Unfortunately, unlike their other opponents, it seemed that Rotox didn't have to see opponents in front of him to know where they were. Cannons on his body launched chains which wrapped around each of the Rangers, binding them tightly.

"Did you really think that would work?" He taunted them. "Magna Beam!"

With that, the Rangers all found themselves flying outside. Troy struggled against his bonds, but they were held in place too tightly.

"Guys, is everyone still in the fight?" He asked. Unfortunately, Rotox was the first thing he saw. He stomped on Troy's chest, knocking the wind out him. He could tell that it was only the suit that stopped him shattering his ribcage.

"Concern for your friends? Another human weakness!" He called out.

"Troy!" Jake screamed as he struggled to get free. Gia managed to summon her Tiger Claw.

"Jake, hold still." She told him. She didn't get much power behind it because her arms were bound; stopping her getting a full swing, but she managed to cut the chains just enough that Jake could power out of them with all his strength. He ran up, snatching up his Snake Axe as Rotox held Troy up with one arm, staring straight at him. With a huge yell, he brought his Snake Axe down across the elbow joint, completely severing the lower half of Rotox's right arm, letting Troy fall to his feet. Troy immediately leapt straight up, slamming both feet straight into Rotox's...well...what could loosely be called his chest given his body shape, landing on his back as Rotox was shoved back. Jake just watched as Rotox looked to the stump of his right arm, before turning back to the fight, giving it no more thought than he gave most of the bruises he suffered.

"Jake!" Gia called out as she joined him, swinging her Tiger Claw. Jake snapped back into the fight, joining her in battling Rotox, only to find that again his shield blunted all of their attacks. He swiped back at them with the shield, sending them flying. They took advantage though, using the distance to buy them time to release Emma and Noah.

Troy bought them all the time he could with a series of kicks. He used Rotox's physical build against him, seeing he no longer had a right arm below the elbow. His body stopped him swinging the left arm too far to the right, so he concentrated his attacks there. By the time Rotox had devised a plan to get rid of Troy by slamming into him in a shoulder-charge of sorts, the others were already by his side, Jake cutting him free.

"That was a sound strategy, but you will not get so lucky again!" Rotox warned him. "I've already anticipated..."

"You know, Noah's one thing, you really are relentless." Jake commented. "Do you ever shut up? Or do you just keep going and going like the Energiser Bunny?"

"Alright, let's send his tin butt to the recycling bin." Emma announced. "Ultra Mode!"

As they all powered up into Ultra Mode, Rotox immediately performed another scan. Their power level increased dramatically, so much so that he could tell that the battle from here would be pointless, even at his maximum power output. With no orders to retreat though, he could only observe his original programme and keep fighting for as long as he was capable.

"You're an impressive machine." Noah complimented him, slashing at him with his Ultra Sword. "Too bad I have to turn you into scrap metal."

Jake quickly took over, each blow shredding off more and more of Rotox's body. His display screen started flickering, as it warned him of his imminent destruction. He flailed around; trying to hit Jake with his one remaining arm, but it was quickly sliced off.

"You picked the wrong planet to mess with!" Gia told him as she and Emma rushed towards him. He launched more chains, but this time they were ready for him, smashing them aside as they rushed in, slicing off his legs. Rotox fell to the ground, and onto his side.

"Alright guys, just because he can't hurt us anymore doesn't mean he can't hurt anyone else." Troy reminded them. "We need to be sure those guns are silenced for good!"

"Ultra Gosei Dynamic!" They all called out together as they assembled, placing their Gold Hedders into their Ultra Swords. Rotox could do nothing as he saw the blast coming towards him. In a massive explosion, he was obliterated, leaving the Rangers victorious against their first robotic opponent.

"So much for being indestructible." Jake said breathlessly as they de-morphed, resting his hands on his knees as he hunched over.

"Yeah, but he was definitely tough." Noah reminded him.

"I think that's a taste of things to come." Troy told them. "OK, Quinn and Allison are waiting for us at the Brainfreeze."

"Besides, I think we deserve some fro-yo after that." Emma commented. "That was definitely something else."

"Well, maybe we should take some of this stuff to the Command Centre." Noah suggested, picking up Rotox's left arm. "I mean, maybe analysing this tech..."

Before he could finish though, the piece disappeared from his hand. Looking around, all the other pieces of Rotox disappeared too. Jake just looked to him.

"Uh...what was that?" He asked. "Why would they want pieces of a busted up robot?"

"If I was to hazard a guess, to repair him." Noah answered. "One more advantage of machines is that if they're damaged, they can be repaired. They don't just die like monsters."

"You know...I really should know better than to ask you questions." Jake sighed. "I never like the answer."

"Come on guys." Troy stated. "We don't want to leave the girls waiting too long and come up with another lie."

"Yeah, it's already bad enough we have to build a Thanksgiving float!" Jake grumbled as he and Emma glared at Noah. He just threw up his hands.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" He asked them.

"I can think of a better idea." Gia told him with a smile. "You pay for the sundaes."

Noah just nodded his head as they left, knowing that this was one battle he would never win.

Meanwhile, over at the police station, Jordan was with Detective Barnes in an interview room, looking at an assortment of paperwork spread out on the desk. There were documents, layouts of the room, photographs of the scene...those were the hardest to look at. Seeing what had, until that night, been his home for most of the year, covered in his father's blood was bringing back all his memories of that night.

Jordan was trying hard to keep up with what was going on, almost completely tuning out Detective Barnes. He knew he had to keep up with the story the police had, and needed to concentrate on making sure he didn't slip up.

"Mr Edwards." She stated, bringing his attention back to her. He just stared at her blankly.

"What?" He asked her.

"The weapon your father's attackers used?" She asked. "The lab work came up with some very strange results from their analysis. According to their work, the blade was a high grade titanium steel. That's a pretty exotic weapon."

"I guess so." Jordan replied with a shrug.

"Mr Edwards, we have a mock up of the dimensions of the blade based on the wound to your father and to yourself." She informed him, showing him a sketch. It was a narrow blade, and quite thin, but long with it. He could only think about Metal Alice's sword, remembering how in their first battle it had penetrated his armour, something no other weapon had managed to do. Her strength was incredible, and it seemed her technology matched that. He didn't doubt it. The only thing he knew for sure was that she had made one major mistake. She had declared a personal war on him. That was a mistake that he would make sure would be her last. "Does this trigger your memory at all? Do you remember any details...?"

"If I remembered anything, don't you think I'd tell you?" Jordan asked her. "I got there, found my dad being attacked, struggled with the attacker, and then they ran. That's it."

"OK." She answered, sliding the picture away. "There's something else interesting we found. General Edward's blood type..."

"Yeah, he wasn't my father." Jordan interrupted her. "I found out about that at the hospital. They told me I couldn't give him the blood he needed."

"That must have been terrible, I can't imagine how that must feel." She said to him. "You only found out that your dad wasn't your dad at the one time he needed you to save him...that..."

"Yeah, it sucked!" Jordan snapped at her. "Is there anything else?"

"I think that should be all for now." She told him. "You can sign your stuff out from the desk sergeant on your way out."

Jordan just sighed and turned, heading out, past the social worker who was acting as his appropriate adult.

"Oh, and Mr Edwards?" She called after him. "You're still staying with the Burrows' aren't you? Your number's still good?"

"Yeah." He answered.

"Good. We might need to contact you again." She replied. "Just...let us know if you're planning on leaving town."

"Am I a suspect?" Jordan asked her, feeling his temper flaring up. He started to approach her, but she just stood her ground.

"It's just procedure. We like to keep track of our witnesses." She told him. "Have a good day Mr Edwards."

As Jordan left, he could tell that she wasn't telling him the truth, but there wasn't much he could do about that. It wasn't like he could tell anyone the truth about what really happened, and that meant he had to accept the fact that right now, he doubted she was the only one who might think that way. Signing for his phone and his morpher, he stormed out of the police station, slamming the door shut on his way out.


	4. Upgrade and Repair

**A/N: **OK folks, I know Thanksgiving has been and gone, but again my writing is going out of time scale a little. Just wanted to get that out of the way before I got any queries about why I'm still talking about it in DECEMBER LOL! Hope you enjoy it.

Troy, Jake, Noah, Gia and Emma arrived at the Brainfreeze soon after their battle. Fortunately, the warehouse district wasn't too far from the mall, so they wouldn't keep Quinn and Allison waiting too long. As they arrived, they found the two girls sitting in the corner, talking, and watching some kind of video on Allison's laptop, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi in the Brainfreeze while they waited for them to return.

"Noah!" Quinn called out, waving him over. Noah made his way over, sitting down gingerly. He was used to pain by now, used to trying to walk and move normally when just about everything ached, but even they had their limits. The battle with Rotox had been brutal, and even with their suits, they were all pretty banged up. "What...what happened?"

"Um..." Noah said, trying to think of an explanation. It was already too late for the Rangers to try and pretend they didn't have a new set of fresh injuries. As Troy sat down, they saw he had a bad scrape across his left cheek, something he couldn't claim he got from soccer, even with Jordan's rather harsh tutorial in how to play "the Stone Canyon" way. It was something they would have noticed before.

"You said you were going to pick up a delivery." Allison recalled. "Was it in the warehouse district?"

Jake looked to the TV, seeing the news was running the 24 hour feed as usual. Catching a glimpse of Allison's laptop, he could see it was a paused video image of the Ranger battle. For once, he was glad for all the media coverage.

"Uh...yeah, that's right, we were...uh..."

"We were going to pick up some old pallets to reclaim timber for the Thanksgiving float." Noah rushed out. He winced as Emma kicked him under the table. He'd already talked her and Jake into needing to prepare something for Thanksgiving with his startling inability to think of lies. Now, he had talked them into needing to build a float!

"Yeah, you know what I'm like when it comes to recycling." Emma added. "Trust me to go when some robot attacks."

"You saw the robot?" Quinn shrieked, grabbing Noah's arm and pulling him in closely. Troy just looked to her as Ernie came to the table.

"We were caught up in the stampede." Troy explained. "You wouldn't know it to watch them work, but when they're leaving, factory workers can move surprisingly quickly."

"Would...would you like a first aid kit?" Ernie asked, seeing the Rangers. Gia just smiled. Ernie knew who they were, and always found subtle ways to help when he could.

"That would be great, thanks Ernie." She replied as she looked to him. "A round of smoothies would be great too."

"Well, I think I can manage that." He assured them.

"They were caught up in that battle at the warehouse district." Quinn told him. "They were going to pick up some packing pallets to reclaim wood for a Thanksgiving float."

"Oh...well...I guess you didn't get them." Ernie said, knowing that this was probably an excuse they had come up with for the sake of Quinn and Allison.

"No, running for our lives kind of took the priority." Jake stated.

"Well...I have some out the back from my latest deliveries." Ernie told them. "I was meaning to take them to the recycling centre, but I guess this is recycling of sorts. You're welcome to them if you want them."

"That would be great, thanks Ernie." Emma replied as he went to get their first aid kit and their sundaes.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Allison asked them.

"Trust me, after twenty minutes of training with Jordan lately, this is nothing." Jake chuckled weakly.

"Well, I'd really love to stay, but I promised mom I'd help her with some Christmas shopping." Allison told them, moving her wheelchair away from the table. "Quinn, didn't you want a lift to work?"

"Yeah, sorry to cut this short guys." Quinn stated, leaning in and kissing Noah gently. "Mr Evans wanted a hand getting a lot of the animals ready for hibernation. It's a long shift, but it means I should have a lot more free time soon."

"Have a good time at work." Noah told her as they left. Jake just shook his head as he left.

"Dude, you seriously need to learn to lie better." He stated. "Now we're making a Thanksgiving float from old packing pallets?"

"It was all I could think of at short notice." Noah protested. Gia and Emma just looked at each other. "What?"

"Um...there might be another way." Emma suggested. "You might want to consider...you know...telling them."

"What? Are you serious?" Noah asked. The three guys quickly realised the girls weren't joking. "OK, I don't know if you missed that part, but the day we got those morphers, the big tiki head told us that we're not meant to tell anyone!"

"Yeah, we have to keep our loved ones safe." Jake told her. "Do you think I like having to lie to my folks, or my girlfriend?"

"Well, how safe are the lies keeping them really?" Emma asked them. "I'm not saying we go reveal our identities on national television or anything, I know it would be a mistake to tell everyone..."

"Emma, I know you hate lying to your dad. I don't like lying to my parents either." Troy said as he took her hand. "But if they know..."

"General Edwards didn't know and it didn't save him." Emma interrupted him. Troy was going to answer, but he found that he wasn't really able to counter that point. He looked to Noah and Jake, hoping one of them would chime in. "Guys, the fact is that Vrak and Malkor...even Metal Alice, they all know who we are. They know who we hang out with. They know where we go to school, where we live...if they're going to attack our family, it really doesn't know if they know or not!"

"So you want to tell your family?" Troy asked. Gia just took a deep breath.

"She...kind of already did." Gia told them. The guys all looked to them in shock. "Hey, don't look at me, she just went and morphed right in front of them before I could stop her!"

"Emma!"

"Don't even start with me Troy!" Emma put down flatly, putting a finger in his face. "I did what I thought was right, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My only regret is not telling him months ago!"

"But Emma..."

"Like I said, what happened to the General just got me thinking. They know who we are, if they're going to go for our families, then they'll do it anyway. At least now dad knows, he's aware of the danger we're in and that he's in so he can protect himself."

"Noah, you've read the same comics I have." Jake stated. "Tell them what usually happens to superheroes who let their identities come out."

"Actually...I'm starting to think maybe Emma has a point." Noah conceded. "At least if those close to us, the ones most likely to be targeted know about us, we won't have to lie and they can stand aside and let us go when we get called."

"Yeah, because my mom would really love to know what I get up to during the day." Jake replied sarcastically. "Troy, you're with me right?"

Troy though was silent for a moment as he started cleaning the graze on his cheek with some antiseptic wipes. He knew the rules were there for a reason, but he had to admit that Emma had made some compelling points.

"I can't tell any of you what to do about this." Troy stated.

"Wait...what?" Jake asked. "You're not seriously...?"

"I'm not saying we should spread the word wholesale." Troy told them. "But if you want to tell those you want to keep safe, then...I guess I have to trust your judgement on who you think you can trust with this secret."

"Besides, in some cases, the ship's already kind of sailed." Noah reminded them.

"The ship has sailed?" Jake asked. "What are we, pirates?"

"I just mean, some people have proven they can be trusted with the secret, and they've even helped us!" Noah reminded him. "Ernie figured it out. Hell, even Cat did, and she's not exactly playing with a full deck."

"Hey!" Gia warned him. Noah just backed off.

"I just mean, they're changing up their tactics, maybe it's time we did too." Noah answered.

"I guess if you guys want to start telling people, I can't stop you." Jake sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not completely on board, but if you guys want to..."

"Fine, then it's decided, it's up to each of us to decide." Troy put down flatly. As he looked to the table, Emma just drew closer.

"What is it?" Emma asked. "Are you thinking about something?"

"It's just what Noah said about changing up tactics." Troy told them. "We already know the robots are tough, and they can presumably be repaired, why else would Metal Alice want what was left of Rotox?"

"At least she's recycling right Emma?" Jake joked weakly. Emma just glared at him.

"In this case, I'd prefer it if it stayed scrap." She replied bluntly.

"I just think...they know who we are, who our loved ones are..." Troy reminded them. "So in the last couple of weeks, why has only Jordan's family been attacked? Why hasn't Metal Alice come after us?"

"Are you feeling left out?" Jake asked.

"I think he's suggesting there's something we're not seeing." Gia stated. "You don't think it was a case of just targeting one of us...you think..."

"She singled out Jordan." Troy confirmed. "The only question is, why?"

Back in the underwater base, Metal Alice put the finishing touches on Rotox. The Rangers had completely wrecked him by any human standards, she was certain that even if the feeble human mind could begin to comprehend their technology, they were far too weak, soft and lazy to effect repairs. Mountains of discarded, though perfectly serviceable technology all over the world stood testament to the human habit of merely discarding technology when it was broken or outdated, often without even taking the effort to harvest it for components that could very well be repurposed. To the inferior humans, Rotox was destroyed, but to her, he was just damaged.

Mist escaped her creation chamber as he stepped out of it. Vrak, watching from the viewing screen noticed he looked significantly different.

"I have compiled the data from his memory banks and added it to the tactical database." She told him. "With the new information regarding their tactics and weapons capabilities, I have not only repaired Rotox, but I have upgraded him. Meet Rotox DX."

Vrak just considered him for a moment as she sent him some data.

"His potential power output has been increased by fifty percent, and his weapons systems have been vastly improved upon. His arsenal is now thirty percent increased in range and power."

"I'm repaired, upgraded and ready for action!" He stated as he presented himself to the viewing screen for inspection. Vrak just looked at him, seemingly impressed.

"Excellent, how I envy your immortality!" He stated as he looked to him. Metal Alice observed from the corner of the room, tightening her grip on her tablet as she prepared for his orders. "You machines are truly the next step in evolution! Instead of being destroyed, they've only succeeded in making you stronger!"

"Master, may I suggest that it would be tactically advantageous to send Rotox DX into the city now?" Metal Alice asked him. "Their frail human physiology would not have had time to heal from the previous battle. Even the most basic, superficial healing would take many more hours for them."

"Whereas you come back stronger after only a couple of hours! Excellent!" He commented. "Of course, Go wreak havoc in the city!"

"As you command sir!" Rotox DX replied as he teleported out of the base.

"I will go too." Metal Alice replied. "This time I will make sure he functions as intended."

"Of course, but you have direct instructions to return to base if he is destroyed." Vrak told her. "I have further plans for you."

"As you command my lord." She stated as she teleported out.

Meanwhile, in another area of town, Jordan was just wandering around after his 'little chat' with the police. He only went because they told him they had leads on his father's attacker, and he needed to know what they believed. After all, the story he had told them was short on details, and made it seem like the attacker was human. If they had anyone at all in mind as a suspect, then Jordan already knew that they'd be potentially putting an innocent person behind bars.

In the end, it seemed all they had done was confirm the dimensions and chemical composition of the weapon, and asked him a few questions. He was starting to think that perhaps he was the one they had in mind as a suspect.

As much as the thought angered him, he didn't blame them really. He had a difficult relationship with General Edwards before, but since finding out what he had, that had started to turn into something so much more. He'd been lied to all his life, by his mom, his 'dad', by everyone! He didn't know what he would say or do now if General Edwards were to stand before him, now that he knew. It made sense now why the General had never gotten on with him, why he had always been so distant. If he could have that time now...

Of course, the worst part was, as much as he knew he wasn't to blame for his death, at least in the respect of not being the one to deliver the blow, there was no way he could tell the police that would convince them of the fact without revealing who he really was...which would likely only open him up to a huge array of other charges. The Robo Knight, while a lot more popular now, was still technically responsible for a lot of damage and carnage in the city.

As he pondered his situation, his Robo Morpher bleeped.

"What is it?" Jordan asked.

"Rangers, there's another attack in the Civic Centre." Tensou squealed. "This time, there are two power signatures. One of them is Metal Alice!"

That was all Jordan needed to hear. Checking no one was around, he broke into a run, his armour forming up around him as he went, and launched himself into the air, converting into flight mode.

Over in the Civic Centre, Rotox was putting his new and improved arsenal to good use, firing off a salvo of artillery, which brought down an office block. The Rangers got there quickly, the mall not being too far away. They confronted Rotox, seeing him standing before them.

"Well I guess we confirmed one thing." Troy stated. "They can be repaired."

"That's the same guy from this morning." Jake confirmed. "Unless I'm seeing things."

"Great, I don't even have time for an ice-pack and a night's sleep and he's already repaired?" Noah complained. "How's that fair?"

"Look on the bright side, at least you got to finish your sundae." Jake reminded him.

"Your confusion is understandable." Metal Alice stated as she stepped into view, carrying her tablet. "This is the new and improved model of the robot you faced this morning. This is Rotox DX."

"Metal Alice?" Noah asked. "Great, that's all we need."

"Then let's cut down the odds." Troy stated. "Megaforce Blaster!"

They quickly assembled their weapon, at which Rotox stepped forward, and waved, almost like he was enticing them to shoot him. They fired off the Dynamic Victory Charge, sending the blast his way.

Rotox turned to his side, and seemed to actually catch the energy blast in one of his new bladed hook weapons. Twirling his arm around and around, he finally managed to dissipate the blast harmlessly.

"What?" Jake exclaimed.

"No way!" Emma added. Metal Alice just stepped forward.

"I told you Rangers, he's new and improved." Metal Alice stated. "Show them!"

Rotox fired off some preliminary blasts, which the Rangers charged through, Gia and Jake getting to him first. He smashed through them, just as Emma and Noah launched ranged attacks with their weapons. He shrugged off the blast, not even bothering to dissipate it properly. He knew their weapons didn't have the power to cause significant harm. He send a charge of electricity through the ground, shocking both of them and knocking them down.

Troy tried to attack with the Dragon Sword, but Rotox, having studied his moves from the previous battle, seemed to anticipate them. He slashed Troy painfully, leaving him in a heap on the ground.

"He's definitely much stronger than before." He commented.

"And Metal Alice hasn't even done anything yet." Noah reminded them. "If she joins in..."

"Well, it looks like they're not the only ones that get another set of hands." Gia replied, pointing to the sky. Robo Knight converted back to his combat mode, dropping to a knee and sending concrete flying. Standing up straight, he stared straight at Metal Alice.

"Well well, if it isn't the Robo Knight. I was wondering when we'd meet again." She stated.

Jordan didn't say anything as she converted her tablet into its sword mode. Seeing it, all Jordan could think of was the fact that in her hand was the weapon that caused all of this pain, the weapon that killed General Edwards.

"I see you remember me...or is it this?" She asked him. "Now, how about you step aside before you end up like that human?"

Jordan pulled out the Robo Blade.

"Jordan, don't let her get under your skin." Troy warned him. "It's what she wants!"

"Just think, we have no interest in destroying the world, just taking over the humans and making them our slaves." She stated. "Imagine it, no more free will. No more pollution, no more crime, no more suffering..."

"Without free will, what's the point in living?" Emma screamed at her. "Of course there are bad things about free will, but without it, we'd all just be heartless, soulless machines like you!"

"What's wrong with being soulless?" She asked in response. "Think about it. You humans are the ones that cause all the harm in the world. The world will be so much better off with us in control."

"That's just crazy!" Jake stated. "There's no way we'd let you do that!"

"Well, if you won't let us, then some losses will be...unavoidable." She replied as she joined Rotox.

"Alright guys, we need to split them up." Troy told them. "Emma, you Gia and I will take Alice, while Jake, Noah and..."

With a massive roar, the first and only thing he said, he rushed straight at Metal Alice, completely ignoring Rotox, and tackled her through the side of a building.

"Jordan!" He called after him, but before anyone could go to help him, Rotox fired more of his artillery shells, cutting them off. "Or...we could do that."

"Troy, what about...?"

"We have our own problem to deal with." Troy interrupted Jake. "We just have to hope Jordan can hold out until we're finished."


	5. Metal Alice's Warning

Jordan and Metal Alice crashed through concrete as Jordan threw her again, taking her through the ground into an underground parking complex. Although she had anticipated this reaction, knowing full well that the illogical human side of Jordan would lead him to attack her with all the ferocity within the primitive human mind, but with none of the control that his armour's programming should have given him. However, she had made a minor miscalculation in exactly how fast and how hard the attack would come. She did a quick analysis, finding that the damage was mainly cosmetic, and should not hamper her abilities in any significant way. As she got back to her feet, she deflected another of his attacks.

"Now that we're alone, we can finally talk without any further interruptions." She stated as she levelled her sword in his direction. Jordan fixed his attention on the sword, remembering their previous battle. Unlike any of his previous foes, her weapon had managed to completely penetrate his armour. He was certain it blunted her strike, but he had to keep in mind that it wouldn't completely protect him from her. She could still deliver a lethal strike, even without forcing his armour to shut down.

"I think you've said enough!" Jordan replied as he ran at her, swinging wildly. It took her by surprise for a moment, her scans had been looking for a pattern of attack, but right now his technique was pretty well non-existent. She corrected for it though, instead focusing on the movements of his body. He was driving each strike through with as much power as he could, using his sword more akin to a smashing tool like a hammer, and so he was putting as much of his bodyweight behind it as he could. His footing, his stance, his shoulders...she quickly found herself able to find where each of the attacks was coming in plenty of time after taking only a couple of more hits. She caught his blade, turning sharply and sending him tumbling to the ground, his blade caught up in her arm.

"This is an intriguing weapon, Eltarian in origin." She stated, inspecting the Robo Blade. "Just like the armour, just like your mentor. All Eltarian."

"What of it?" Jordan roared as he came back for another attack. This time, he was repelled first by her sword, and then taken down with his own blade. She looked down on him, placing a foot on his chest.

"It is pathetic, your feeble human emotions, they cloud your mind and force you to act in a way that causes only destruction to yourself and those around you, leaving you completely ignorant of the fact that you are no closer to destroying your real enemy than you are to embracing the God-like power at your disposal."

"I've got all the power I need!" Jordan snapped at her, grabbing her foot and shoving it off, before rolling back to his feet. He launched forward, catching her off-balance and wrestled the Robo Blade back from her. "And I already know who my enemy is!"

"Really? Are you so sure?" She asked him as she drove him backwards into a pillar. He struggled against her grip, but even with the power of his armour, he found that she was much stronger. "You still don't get it do you? You are inhibited by the feeble limitations of the human in your mind, well, why don't you ask yourself. Why did I only target General Edwards? Why have I never targeted any of the other Rangers' families?"

Jordan struggled to get her to let go, but her strength was just too great. She looked straight into his visor as she brought up her sword.

"This sword doubles as my direct link to the database. It analyses everything about my victims." She informed him. "When I took your blood, I found..."

"The General wasn't my dad! So what?" Jordan spat at her as he finally got enough space to bring up a knee into her stomach, driving her back. She looked up in time to see him coming for her, before he smashed her full in the face, tearing off her face plate and sending her sprawling. She blasted him away, but as he got up, he saw her holding her hand over her face, fluids running between her fingers. She just shook her head as she stood up.

"Such a feeble minded and pathetic race." She stated. "Perhaps you need a little longer to ponder who the real enemy is."

With that, she disappeared. Jordan slammed his fists into the ground, shattering concrete and roaring in anger. She had gotten away from him once more. As he got up, starting to head back to the main battle, he saw her face plate on the ground, covered in fluids. He drove his heel down into it, shattering it into pieces, imagining her face behind it. Next time, he would make sure it was.

Out in the street, the Rangers had powered up into Ultra Mode, and were battling with Rotox DX, their extra power giving them enough of an edge to keep up with him. Even still, he was a tough opponent with his new upgrades. He spun around, smashing them all to the ground in a shower of sparks, before an artillery salvo left them laying in a heap. Troy was the first to recover, launching an aerial attack, but he was caught by a power beam.

"Foolish Human, you're no match for my new powers, and now, I will terminate you all!" He taunted them as he launched Troy into a building. "Unlike us, you humans can be destroyed."

"Think again." Troy shot back, having had enough of seeing his friends being thrown around like rag dolls by the same robot they had already defeated. Vrak had found a dangerous and powerful new army, one that couldn't even be whittled down one at a time like his other minions. Everything they had done up until now wasn't working, now they had to find a new plan, and quickly. He could only think of one, and it was pretty much the antithesis of everything his training had ever taught him. There could be no restraint, no mercy, no holding back. It was destroy or be destroyed, with no middle ground. "I just have to make sure we smash you into smaller pieces. This time, I'm going to turn you into dust!"

He rushed forward, just as Rotox launched more artillery. He felt every one of the shells slamming into his armour like a hammer, but gritting his teeth, and driving onwards, he ignored them, powering up his blade until he got to Rotox, slicing through his mid-section. He just stood; staring at Troy, before in a massive explosion, most of the front of his body fell away, destroying his artillery guns.

As he was about to swing for Troy, he found his arm stopped in its tracks. Scanning, Rotox found Robo Knight behind him, his knee in his back, straining to hold his arms back.

"You decided to go all smashy and didn't invite me?" Jordan asked.

"Thanks for joining the party." Jake added as he and Gia leapt into action, slicing off Rotox's arms as Jordan held them for them.

"What about Metal Alice?" Gia asked him.

"She bugged out." Jordan told them, preparing his Vulcan Cannon. "How about we finish this version off."

"Fine, but this time we do it right." Troy stated. "Leave nothing for them to reclaim. Everything we've got!"

As they fired their blasts, Rotox ejected something from his body, before it hit. The Rangers watched as he was completely obliterated.

"Again!" Troy called out.

"But Troy..."

"There's something left!" He interrupted Noah, pointing to the piece on the floor. "Again!"

"That was a disappointing test." Vrak stated as he arrived, drawing their attention. "But perhaps it won't be a total loss."

The Rangers watched as Zombats descended, but as they got closer, they realised they were different. They looked a lot more mechanical. As they got to what was left of Rotox, they turned into screws, and burrowed into him.

"That...that piece, it must be a data centre." Noah surmised. "Kind of like the Black Box on a plane, it's designed to survive so that data can be retrieved after its destruction."

"Great, that's all we need." Gia stated as Rotox was reborn yet again, this time growing to immense proportions.

"Fine, then we'll have to destroy him again!" Troy stated, pulling out his power card. "Command Ship Activate!"

"Knight Brothers!" Jordan called as he took on his Megazord form, joining the Rangers in battle. Rotox DX just looked at the Zords standing before him.

"Such magnificent technology." He remarked. "Perhaps once I remove you humans from it and bring it to my mistress, I'll earn my pick of upgrades."

He launched his artillery, but this time he found that it was largely ineffective. Scanning the two Zords coming towards them, he found that there was only superficial damage to them. Their power levels had barely dipped at all, and getting a scan of them, he now realised that their power was now far greater than his. It was a pointless battle, which he knew would only end one way, but that didn't matter. His orders were to battle the Rangers, and that was what he would do.

"Sky Lion Kick!" Jordan yelled as he launched the Sky Lion Hedder, smashing off one of Rotox's arms. Rotox continued to attack with his one remaining arm, without so much as a moments' hesitation. With no pain receptors, this loss had no traumatic effect on him like it would have for any of the other creatures they had fought.

"He can still fight with one hand." Noah stated as the Command Ship Megazord grabbed the arm. "Let's see how he does with no hands!"

The Megazord heaved against him, ripping the other arm off his body, spraying fluids and sparks in all directions. A flame started to engulf the 'wound' as some of the fuel caught light.

"Let's shut this robot down for good." Troy stated as the Command Megazord's chest opened up. "Ultimate Charge!"

The attack slammed home, penetrating deep into his power core. Within moments, Rotox knew he would be utterly destroyed beyond repair. A hidden command in his programming activated, causing him to relay a message hidden from his central processor.

"Metal Alice will defeat you!" He warned them. "And Robo Knight...the games have only begun!"

With that, he exploded, completely destroying him. The Rangers performed a scan of the whole area, making sure nothing was left to be retrieved, but all they could find was the occasional scrap of metal.

"I doubt even Metal Alice could put that back together." Noah told them. "There's barely enough left to make a beer keg."

"Then...we can say it?" Emma asked. Troy just nodded.

"Mega Rangers, that's a Mega Win."

As they sent the Zords home and powered down, Jordan stood before them, seeing the way they were staring at him.

"I don't know what she meant either." Jordan told them. "All she kept going on about was something to do with who the real enemy was."

"I don't really care about that right now." Troy told him. "Jordan...you completely ditched us in battle."

"Again!" Jake added.

"Metal Alice..."

"Metal Alice is playing you, that much is obvious." Gia interrupted him. "Why, I honestly don't know, but you're playing right into her hands!"

"Well maybe she should be careful what she wishes for." Jordan replied. "Because when I get my hands on her..."

"You'll what? You'll let her bounce you around like a pinball again?" Jake asked him. Jordan just looked to the ground, thinking that in a lot of ways they were right. Metal Alice was playing him. She took him out of the fight early on, and nearly cost the others the battle. Their new foes were already more dangerous than anything they had seen until now.

"Jordan, if you...?"

Jordan just turned away from Emma. She was hurt; normally he was a lot more open to talking to her about his family than he was the others. She doubted he meant to hurt her, but she was struggling to imagine what was going on in his mind, and without him telling her, she was likely never going to know.

"It's just a shame we have to destroy so much." Noah lamented. "Maybe if we could study some of their technology..."

"I think I know where you can find some." Jordan stated. He started walking towards the underground garage as the others just stared at him. "Well? Are you coming?"

Later, back in the Command Centre, the Rangers were sitting around in the Command Centre, while Noah worked on a computer. They had retrieved what was left of Metal Alice's face mask, and had brought it back for analysis. Noah knew that it was only metal, with no real systems or mechanisms to speak of, but it was better than nothing.

"This...this is incredible." Noah told them. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Noah, it's a piece of metal." Jake groaned as he checked his watch, realising they had now been waiting nearly two hours.

"What's so fascinating?" Troy asked him.

"It's incredible, massive strength, next to no weight..." He told them. "Iron, Titanium, Tungsten..."

"Yeah, so we know what she's made of." Jake replied, twirling a finger in the air. "Whoop!"

"Actually, we only know what 32 percent of her is made of." Noah told them. "Look at this...unknown, unknown, unknown...most of what went into making her isn't on the Periodic Table."

"Vrak's an alien. He probably brought stuff with him." Jake suggested. Noah just looked at him.

"There's also these fluids." Noah told them. "I mean, a lot of odd chemical compositions, but most of them are recognisable as hydraulic fluids, lubricants, fuels...wait...this one's odd."

"Ooh, some weird goop." Jake said sarcastically. "What's so weird about it?"

"It's...it's got cell structure." He told him. "That would mean..."

All of a sudden, the screen started to flicker and went blank. Noah backed away as he looked to it.

"Wait, what just happened?" He stated. "The system just glitched out...no no no...DAMN IT!"

"What?" Emma asked him as she came to his side. "What happened?"

"All the data we have on this...it's gone!" He told her.

"Metal Alice must have had a worm programme in her technology." Tensou suggested as he took over. "The console's been fried. It'll take some time to get it up and running."

"We can't risk analysing the mask again until we figure out how to do so safely." Gosei told them. "Until then, it would be for the best if you went home. You will all need to rest after the battle."

"Yeah, I doubt Metal Alice will leave it too long before we see more of her creations." Jake commented. "And thanks to SOMEONE, Emma and I have a float to make."

"I said I'd help!" Noah protested. With that, they all teleported out of the Command Centre, heading for home. Tensou turned to the wall.

"Gosei, I don't understand what happened." Tensou told him. "I can't detect what kind of programme did this."

"Just concentrate on getting the console up and running." Gosei told him.

"I will...and then...I can enter the data I remember." Tensou told him. "I saved some..."

With that, a beam shot out of Gosei's statue, striking Tensou in the head. The little robot slumped over lifelessly, and remained that way for some time, before rebooting. All of the consoles came back to life in the meantime, while he performed a full reboot. Tensou looked to Gosei.

"What...what happened?" He asked. "My memory banks...there's something missing."

"It is likely just a glitch." Gosei assured him. "Take the sample from that machine and dispose of it."

"Why?" Tensou asked him.

"It is of no consequence." Gosei told him. "There is nothing to be learned from it."

Tensou wanted to protest, but he had no reason to. His memory had no record of what the sample had taught them. In the end, he just did as he was told, disintegrating the mask, leaving no trace of it.

As Gia and Emma got home, they were more than a little weary. Gia got in the door first, finding Louise waiting for her.

"I guess you'd like a first aid kit?" She asked. Gia just nodded.

"We have a lot to do tomorrow." Emma told her. "Thanks to Noah's big mouth, we've got a Thanksgiving float to make by the end of the week."

"Well, just get ready for dinner." She told them. "We've got company."

"Mom, can we just get something in our room?" Gia asked. "I've had a rough day, I just want a shower and about 12 hours' sleep..."

"Gia Ciara Moran!" Eric insisted. "You have company, and that's no way to act!"

"You're middle-naming me now?" Gia asked him. She just sighed as she saw he was serious, before taking off her jacket. "OK, but I'm not going to like it."

"Really?" She heard a familiar voice say as she got into the Living Room. "Because this bus ticket was kind of expensive."

"CAT!" Gia shrieked in delight as she saw her girlfriend waiting on the couch. She threw herself into Cat's arms, embracing her tightly, before she looked to her. "But...how...I thought?"

"I could tell by the message you were having a tough time." Cat told her. "I know you said to stay away, but I just felt like you needed me...so I paid for an earlier coach."

"I just can't believe you're here!" Gia told her. Eric just smiled as he saw them.

"So...have you reconsidered dinner?" He asked her. Gia nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh God, I have to look awful." She stated, suddenly becoming aware of her appearance. "I'll just go and get cleaned up."

"Yeah, that robot thing looked brutal." Cat told her. Gia and Emma just stared at her. "Eric, Louise and I all talked while you were out."

"Go and get cleaned up." Eric told the girls. "We'll be ready to lift by the time you're cleaned up."

In another part of town, Noah came into his house, finding his parents on the couch watching some form of reality TV show. He just rolled his eyes.

"Did you remember the pumpkin pie mix?" His mom called over. Noah sighed, realising he had forgotten all about it. He just looked to them.

"Sorry, I..."

As his dad turned around, he saw his son looking more than a little roughed up. He just frowned.

"Too busy with your experiments again?" He asked. "You better not have messed up the garage!"

"The garage is fine dad." Noah groaned, before heading up the stairs to his room. He shook his head thinking about it. He'd love to tell his parents what he had been doing, to shove in their faces why the damned pumpkin pie mix was the least of his concerns. Thinking about it though, he could only imagine how they would react. They rarely were interested in him or anything he was doing. They'd probably just be worried he'd bring his Ranger business home. God forbid he'd risk scratching his dad's car, it wasn't like he was saving the world or anything. In the end, he just went up to his room.

As Jake got to his house, he found his parents in the Living Room, looking through boxes of decorations. Within quick succession, they had Thanksgiving and Hanukah to prepare for. His mom loved the holidays, and insisted that even at times where there was a lot of bad things going on, it was if anything even more important to celebrate properly.

"Well, nice of you to show up." Mr Holling chuckled. "I thought you were helping me get this out the..."

His words tailed off as he saw the state Jake was in. He came close to him, concern showing on his face.

"Jake, what happ..."

"I'm alright, I'm fine." He assured them. "I just got banged up at soccer practice."

Even he knew that was weak. It was his go-to excuse for all the days he came home with injuries, but today, that looked more than a little bit of a stretch.

"Soccer practice?" His dad snapped. "Do you play with sledgehammers now?"

"I told you, we're getting ready for the Stone Canyon game." Jake assured them. "It looks worse than it is."

"Believe me, I'm going to have words with that Edwards boy!" Mrs Holling grumbled as she put aside some decorations and went to get a first aid kit.

"Judy, leave it alone." Mr Holling told his wife. "Jordan's just lost his father..."

"Well, that still doesn't give him the right to take it out on his friends!" She snapped as she sat Jake down. "I keep telling you that you need to quit that awful team. It was bad enough last year, but now it's just getting worse..."

Jake tuned out the rest as his mother fussed over him. His parents hated it any time he got into trouble. If he came home with so much as a hair out of place, it was a federal case. He just let his mom check over him thinking how much worse they'd be if they realised he was running towards all the monsters when every sane person in the city was running away. They'd insist he'd quit. Hell, if she could, his mom would probably go straight to Gosei himself and bawl him out over choosing her son for something so dangerous.

"Yeah, tell my parents." He thought to himself. "Great idea Emma."

Finally, at the Burrows house, late at night, Troy came down into the family gym, where his dad was working out, after having closed up for the night. Mr Burrows always worked out when he was worried, it was where Troy got his habit from. Jordan had locked himself in their room virtually the moment he had arrived home.

"Good day?" Troy asked him. Mr Burrows just shrugged.

"Business is slowing down." He told him. Business in gyms always slowed down coming up to the holidays. Usually, between parties and shopping, people had little time to work out. It was balanced out by the sudden upsurge in January when people came flooding back to work off the holiday weight, and those who had made new years' resolutions came in for a few weeks. "How's the face?"

"It looks worse than it feels." Troy assured him. "Dad...it's about Jordan."

"I know he's going through a rough time." Mr Burrows interrupted him. "I wish he'd come to us too, but until he does..."

"It's just..." Troy interrupted him. "Dad, there's something important I need to tell you about Jordan and I."

Mr Burrows put down the medicine ball he was holding, and looked to Troy, waiting for him to speak.

"I've...I've not been entirely honest with you about a lot of things this year." Troy told him. "I only did it because I was worried about what it would mean for you, but given a lot of things that have happened recently, I think it's important you know this. You need to know everything to understand what's been going on."

Mr Burrows just looked to his son.

"Dad...Jordan and I...are Power Rangers." Troy told him, pulling out his mopher and showing it to him. "I've been a Ranger..."

"Yeah, I know." Mr Burrows replied. Troy just looked at him with his eyes wide in amazement. "I figured it out pretty soon after the first monster attack. Your sword technique's always been pretty distinctive."

"You...you knew?" Troy asked him.

"Since Jordan only got to town after that, I'm guessing he's the Robo Knight?" He asked. Troy just nodded. Mr Burrows just looked to his son.

"I'm not completely in love with the idea." Mr Burrows admitted. "But for what it's worth, I couldn't think of anyone that I think would make a better Ranger. The world really lucked out when you were chosen."

He pulled his son in, hugging him tightly.

"Thanks for telling me son." He told him as he left the room. Troy just sat on a weight bench, and couldn't help smiling. All the worry he'd felt about his family, and it was finally over. Emma was right, he already felt like a weight had been lifted. Now, he was sure the next time he was called into action; Metal Alice would be the one that would have to worry.


	6. RICO

The following day, the Rangers all made their way to school. Gia was more than a little reluctant, since Cat had only just arrived, but there really wasn't anything she could do about it other than bunking off, something that her mom had made abundantly clear was not going to happen. Although Eric and Louise now knew about their identities as Rangers, and it bought them a certain level of leeway, nothing was going to convince them that letting them skip any more class time during their senior year, arguably the most important year of their lives, was acceptable behaviour. After all, all going well, they would, like most of the past teams, one day defeat their enemies and retire, and it wasn't like they could put "Power Ranger" on their CV.

Cat walked with Gia and Emma to the school, making her way inside. They found Noah, Quinn, Allison and Jake all talking by some lockers. As they got closer, Jake smiled.

"Well, look who got into town!" He called out as Cat came closer, greeting her warmly.

"I was planning to come back for Thanksgiving." She told them. "I got a message from Gia, and it sounded like things have been pretty wild here recently, so I got an earlier coach."

"You're skipping school?" Noah asked. Cat just shrugged.

"I'm already ahead on a lot of my classes." She assured them. "It won't take me long to get caught up in anything I missed. I just wanted to come and see you all."

"Well, we're all really glad to see you." Quinn assured her, hugging Cat tightly. "So tell me, how is LA? I've heard..."

"It's really different. Everything's so far apart." She told them. "No wonder they call it a city on wheels, you need a car to get pretty much anywhere. The food's amazing though!"

"Well, we'd love to hear all about..." Allison started to say, but her words tailed off as she noticed Troy and Jordan arriving. There were a lot of students who were noticeably quiet as they arrived. It wasn't really that much of a surprise, the only surprise was that Jordan had come back to school so soon after the General's funeral. As they got to the lockers, Jordan just silently started to work the lock.

"Morning Emma." Troy greeted his girlfriend, pulling her in, kissing her gently. As he looked around, he saw Cat standing nearby. "Um...OK, this is déjà vu. Cat, no one said you were back in town!"

"She came for Thanksgiving a little early as a surprise." Gia said happily, gripping Cat's arm excitedly. "How's...How's Jordan holding up?"

Troy looked over his shoulder to where Jordan was trying to open his locker, seemingly with little patience for the combination lock. He just sighed.

"He's still not saying much." Troy admitted. "We've all tried to get him to talk, but he's just...you know...well...you all know what he's like."

As Jordan came back over, carrying some books with him, they all noticed the students parting to let him pass. Everyone was staring at him. There were a few whispers, but it was pretty alarmingly quiet.

"Wow...did I miss something?" Allison asked as she looked to the students in the corridor talking. Jordan just looked a little bad-tempered.

"They're scared of me." Jordan told her bluntly. "Why wouldn't they be? I mean, they all think I did it right?"

"You did...?" Quinn started to say, before realising what he meant and looking alarmed. "You think that they...?"

"Why wouldn't they? I mean there's no sign of the guys that killed him is there?" Jordan responded sharply. "Even the cops think I did it."

"Jordan, I'm sure..."

"You don't have to sugar-coat it Emma, I'm realistic." Jordan cut her off. "I mean, there's always some bullshit reason to kill your folks right?"

"Jordan." Principal Kwann greeted him as she came over. Jordan just stood with his hands on his hips as she approached. "I'm...um...I'm a little surprised to see you."

"Why? I called to say I'd be back." He reminded her. She just looked to him sympathetically.

"I was hoping you'd reconsidered for your sake." She answered. "But, it is up to you. I can't force you to stay at home. All I can do is remind you that there is a guidance counsellor, and my door's always open if you want..."

"Thanks, but if I wanted to talk, I'd talk." Jordan told her, before storming off. Trini just watched him go with a sigh.

"He's just..."

"I know a lot more about what he's going through than you realise Troy." She assured him. "I trust you'll all keep an eye on him."

"We'll try." Cat stated. "He's just so angry right now, it's hard to get him to say anything without...you know...having to duck for cover."

Trini just looked to Cat a little curiously, pointing to her before looking to the others.

"Didn't she transfer?" Trini asked them.

"Uh...yeah, she did." Gia answered. "But she was kind enough to offer to help us design the Thanksgiving pep rally float."

Cat just nodded her head frantically.

"Yeah, that's right." She stated. "Gia asked for help, so here I am."

"Well...come with me to the office for a visitor's badge, and don't interrupt any classes." Trini told her.

"Kay kay." Cat answered, looking back to Gia. "I'll meet you in the gym to go over designs at lunch alright?"

"I'll see you then." Gia replied as she left. The bell rang, indicating the beginning of the first class.

"She's helping us with the float now?" Emma asked. Gia just shrugged.

"Cat's crazy good with all that artistic stuff." Gia reminded them. "Besides, don't you think building a float inside four days we need all the help we can get?"

"I guess so." Jake answered. "In the meantime, the bell waits for no one. Time we were off to class."

Meanwhile, in the underwater base, Metal Alice was working on the console when Vrak activated the communications link.

"Metal Alice, have you completed your repairs yet?" He asked her.

"I have master." She answered him, running her fingers across her new face plate. "The damage was minor. I've been working on an amazing new robot prototype."

"The initial tests with Rotox did yield promising results, and allowed us to gather a lot of data." He conceded. "I'll need the superior strength offered by your technology to finally rid myself of those Power Rangers. They've been a thorn in my side long enough."

"It will be done as you command my Lord." She replied. As he severed the communications link, she punched in a few keys. "Indeed, I might even say...it'd be my pleasure."

As lunch time rolled around, Gia and Emma dragged Noah and Troy with them to the gym, finding Cat happily doodling away on her sketch pad. Jake and Jordan were practicing, getting ready for the Thanksgiving game against Stone Canyon. Noah and Troy really hadn't intended to help, but they weren't really given much choice in the matter. Noah had been the one to talk them into needing to build a float in the first place, so he had been made to come and help, while Troy was kind of black-mailed into it by Emma. As they arrived, Cat got up from her seat.

"I took into account the time frame we have, and the materials we have available." She told them. "So, what do you think of this?"

She showed them the first sketch, which they all looked at thoughtfully. The expressions on their faces showed that they didn't really think much of it to be honest.

"Um...it's...something alright." Emma said rather diplomatically.

"It's...um..." Gia started to say. "It's really good, but...what's with all this stuff?"

"Is that a kettle?" Troy asked, pointing to a section of the float. "And what is that?"

"They're mittens!" Cat explained. "Don't you all get it? It's about Thanksgiving right? All the things we're thankful for?"

They all nodded, still completely baffled.

"I themed it after the song 'My Favourite Things'!" She explained. "It's all the things we're thankful for!"

"That's definitely one way to go." Troy told her. "But maybe we should check out some other ideas...you know, something a little closer to the traditional image with pilgrims and suchlike?"

"Oh...well, that was only one sketch." Cat answered as she flipped the page. Just then, they heard some screaming from the soccer pitches. Gia sighed.

"OK, I knew things were going too quietly." She stated. "Cat, stay here."

As they ran out, Cat just looked back to her first drawing and sighed.

"I thought it was good." She lamented, before shrugging and looking to some of her other designs.

As the Rangers got to the soccer pitches, they found that most of the team had already fled. Only Jordan and Jake remained, surrounded by Loogies. They were keeping them away as their team mates fled. The arrival of the rest of the Rangers quickly turned the tide in their favour.

"See how your fellow humans flee?" Metal Alice asked as she arrived on the scene, carrying her tablet. "Your behaviour is so predictable. It also shows why you are inferior. None of my followers would flee and leave me to face an army myself. All for one and one for all as your famous book says. It's a shame for you that only is a work of fiction."

"And yet you're using Vrak's Loogies...biological creatures." Jake taunted her as he disposed of a couple of them. "I guess it takes you a while to make up your robots."

Troy leapt into battle with Metal Alice, hoping that if he went for her, he could keep Jordan out of it. He had already proven at least once that she got into his head any time they fought.

He found himself struggling to get through her guard. Her technique was unlike anything he had seen before, and her mechanical precision and reflexes made it seem like she had an impenetrable defence. He eventually spun away from her as she narrowly missed a strike that looked like it had every intent on separating his head from his shoulders. The others formed up around him as they finished the last of the Loogies.

"You Rangers never learn." She sneered at them, looking behind her. "Come here Robot 1C0."

They all looked behind her, to where a new robot emerged. They seemed more than a little confused as they saw it. It was a truly bizarre creation, but at the same time, something about it seemed strangely familiar.

"Destroy the Rangers!" She instructed it. The robot just stood stock still and stared blankly at them.

"Are you kidding me?" Jake yelled incredulously. "Is she trying to make her own Robo Knight?"

"That's meant to be me?" Jordan yelled angrily. It did indeed bear a lot of similarities to his armour, and a lot of the technology seemed superficially to be similar...he guessed that this was what she meant when she told the Rangers she was gathering data on them.

"It is a counterpart to your Robo Knight...only without all the...surplus parts." She stated, looking to the robot again. "Robot 1C0, destroy them!"

Again, the robot just stood, completely unmoving, and just stared, not even at the Rangers. It was like it was staring through them. Staring at nothing, not registering anything.

"Robot 1C0 comply!" She yelled at it. She glared at it, and shoved it with her hand. "Don't just stand there attack!"

Noah let out a little derisive laugh.

"It looks like your little prototype has a few bugs in it." Noah teased her. "Looks like you rushed out the beta version a little early."

"Quick, this is our chance!" Troy told them. They assembled the Megaforce Blaster, while Jordan prepared the Vulcan cannon.

Jordan levelled his blaster, almost feeling that this was it. Metal Alice had finally made an error in her calculations. There were no Loogies, and her robot appeared to be a dud, meaning that this was their one opportunity to attack her with no one to sacrifice themselves for her. He took careful aim straight for her chest.

"Dynamic Victory Charge!" They called out as they opened fire. Metal Alice grabbed her robot, using it for seemingly the only purpose it now had, as a speed-bump. She tossed it straight in the line of fire, the blasts hitting it full on. The robot lumped to its knees, before falling face-first on the ground, sparking as it hit the floor.

"My creation was a complete failure!" She screamed, before hitting some keys on her tablet and teleporting away. Jordan rushed towards where she had been, and then let out a huge roar as he realised they had missed their chance.

"She got away!" He yelled at them. Emma though was just staring at the robot lying on the ground.

"She left her robot behind." She remarked.

"Yeah, I mean, the least she could have done was clean up after herself." Jake commented. "I mean, look at this thing. It's going to ruin the turf if we leave it here!"

The others just looked at him in amazement.

"The game's three days away! Having the home pitch is the only advantage we have!" He reminded them.

"Why didn't she take it with her?" Troy asked. "Last time she took Rotox back to recycle."

"I guess she figured that it was a failure, so she just discarded it." Noah suggested. "It didn't look like it had anything beyond basic command recognition..."

"Look, he's moving!" Gia interrupted him, pointing to his hand. Jake clutched his Snake Axe closely.

"Be careful, it could be a trap." He warned them.

"Well, we'll soon fix that." Jordan stated, levelling his Vulcan Blaster in its direction.

"Sensor overload!" The robot commented, clutching its head and looking completely confused. It was as if it had no idea where it was, or what it was meant to be doing. Its movements were shaky and uncertain. "So dizzy."

As it sank to its knees, Emma saw Jordan aiming straight for it. With a gasp, she threw herself in the line of fire.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Jordan demanded.

"Wait, don't hurt it!" She told him.

"Emma, it's a robot. It doesn't get hurt." Noah reminded her.

"No, but it was ordered to attack us and it didn't." She reminded them. "Maybe...maybe it isn't bad."

"Isn't bad?" Jake asked her sceptically. "Emma...it's a robot that's designed as a weapon! It's meant to kill and destroy!"

"But it didn't." Emma reminded him again. "Maybe his programming is glitched, or doesn't work properly. You saw how he didn't respond to Metal Alice's orders."

"So?" Jordan asked her.

"So...Metal Alice left him behind." Emma replied. "Apparently she doesn't know that he's still functioning...at least...it's kind of functioning."

"Emma, it could be a trap." Jake reminded her.

"Or...it could be an opportunity to get to understand her technology." She reminded them. "After all, she doesn't seem to realise its still functioning."

"So we have a sample of her tech just lying at our feet!" Noah responded excitedly. "We can study him!"

"Fine, let me begin the dissection!" Jordan snapped as he levelled his blaster again. Emma grabbed his hand, shoving his blaster aside.

"Or...we could just...you know...ask him." She stated, making her way over to the confused robot. She knelt down near him. "You don't have to be afraid of us. We won't hurt you."

"Emma, I know you have a big heart." Gia told her, shaking her head. "But come on, this isn't like that badger you nursed back to health...or those foxes you left food out for...or...Emma...it's a ROBOT!"

"Right now, it's just a confused creature that isn't exactly a threat." Emma told her. Gia just looked to Troy, who stepped forward.

"You can trust us." Emma assured the robot.

"Can trust you." It repeated. "Won't harm Robot 1C0."

"Hold on Emma." Troy told her, coming to her side. "We might be moving a little too fast. I'm not so sure we can trust it. What do the rest of you think?"

"Robots aren't built for deception are they?" Emma asked Noah. "Unless they're programmed otherwise, if you ask them a direct question, it'll always answer honestly right?"

"I...guess so." Noah answered warily. He didn't claim to be an expert on all things robotic, but as far as he was aware, basic programming meant that any machine would always answer any query honestly within its knowledge. If a computer was asked to add two and two, it had to be programmed beforehand to say anything other than four.

"Robot 1C0, are we your enemies?" She asked it. The robot scanned its databases, finding nothing.

"No listed enemies." It assured her.

"So you won't attack us?" She asked.

"Robot 1C0 is only programmed to attack listed enemies." He informed her. Emma just looked to the others, who were still far from happy with the situation, but could tell when Emma wasn't going to give up on what she believed in.

"Fine, but we need to be careful and keep an eye on him." Troy told her. "Not to mention, we need to check him out, analyse him to see what we can learn. Maybe if we find out what's wrong with Robot 1C0, we can figure out a way to defeat other robots."

"I'll see what I can find out." Noah told him. "I have study hall the rest of the day."

"Still, Robot 1C0 is kind of a mouthful." Emma stated, looking to the robot. "Would you mind if we called you something shorter?"

"What does Pink Ranger wish to designate Robot 1C0?" It asked her. Emma just smiled.

"R-1-C-0...how about RICO?" She asked it. The robot looked at her, before tapping itself in the chest.

"RICO?" It asked. She nodded.

"She's naming it?" Jake asked. Troy just sighed and shook his head.

"I guess it's one of the things I love about her." He answered. "Emma loves a wounded bird...even if that bird is made of steel."

"My name's Emma." Emma introduced herself to RICO. "Now, come with us. We need to get you somewhere you won't be seen, somewhere people won't try to harm you."

"RICO will go where Emma says." He responded. As Emma and Noah started to lead it towards the gym, intending on keeping it in storage until they could move him somewhere more suitable, Jordan just threw his hands up.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"It's like Noah said, maybe we can analyse it, see how Metal Alice's tech works." Jake suggested. Jordan just rolled his eyes and stormed off.

"When you all want to visit reality, maybe I'll join you." He told him. "The only good robot is one that's in a million pieces!"


	7. Rico's Examination

In the Command Centre, Gosei and Tensou were listening as Noah relayed what had happened over his communicator. He didn't really know what was going on himself to be honest. While he was enthusiastic about all sciences, he had to admit that the real reason he was more interested in technology than biology was that it was, in many ways, simpler to ascertain what was going on, mainly because if he wanted to know how something worked, he could simply take it apart. It wasn't like he could very well ethically perform a vivisection to see how a cat or a human worked. However, it seemed that for now, Emma was not on board for the idea of allowing him to disassemble RICO.

"So, you're befriending one of Metal Alice's robots?" Tensou asked him.

"It...kind of looks that way." Noah told him. "Emma's already named him. We're calling him RICO for short."

"This is a dangerous practice Blue Ranger." Gosei warned him. "You have no way of telling what he is programmed to do."

"Yeah, I was hoping I could figure it out." Noah told him. "I'm going to perform a few tests..."

"We must be certain of the motivations behind his creation before we take any chances." Gosei told him. "Learn what you can from him, but until we have fully ascertained the level of threat he poses, you are forbidden to bring him here."

"As much as the Command Centre computers would be great right now, that's the last thing I was planning on doing." He assured Gosei. "I'll do what I can with what I have here."

As he ended the communication, turning his attention back into the school gym, he saw RICO holding Emma's wrist, stopping her from going. They knew that there were no gym classes scheduled for the afternoon, and that the soccer team would be using the pitches, so they had reasoned he could stay here without too much risk of being discovered while Noah ran his tests. He was about to intervene, but seeing the look on her face, he could tell that she didn't really consider this a threat.

"No, no RICO, I told you I have to go. I have classes to go to." Emma told him. "I need to go or I'll get into trouble."

"Then RICO go with Emma." RICO suggested. She looked to Noah, hoping he could explain in a way that would make him understand.

"He was probably built to follow orders, to be dependent on someone else to tell him what to do. Without Metal Alice around, he's looking for someone else to fulfil that role." Noah told her. "You were the first one to talk to him. I think maybe his processors have identified you for that."

"Wait...so Emma's like...his mom?" Cat asked, looking up from her sketch pad. Emma just looked to each of them in amazement.

"I'm his mom?" She asked, her voice indicating a level of panic. Noah just sniggered at the thought.

"Well, it's not the way I'd have put it, but...I guess if the glove fits." He teased her. Emma just held up her hand.

"Well, can you at least get him to let go?" She asked him. Noah just smiled.

"You're his mommy." He responded. "It's up to you to teach him that he needs to cut the apron strings."

"You're not going to let this go are you?" Emma asked him. He just shook his head.

"I think it's sweet." Cat stated. Emma just looked to RICO thoughtfully.

"RICO, I need to go, but I will come back OK?" She told him. "Cat and Noah are going to be here with you for the rest of the afternoon. You can trust them not to harm you, right guys?"

RICO looked to the two other people in the gym, before looking back to Emma. The fact he hadn't let go indicated he wasn't entirely convinced.

"They're friends, like me." She explained. "They won't do anything I wouldn't do, so if they ask you to do something, you can do it just like you would for me alright?"

RICO looked down to his hand, and finally let go of Emma's wrist. She looked to Noah and smiled.

"Well, I really need to go before I get a tardy slip." She told Noah. "Just...be careful with him alright?"

"I already promised didn't I?" Noah assured her as she left. He just shook his head in disbelief. "She can still play me like a fiddle."

"What are tools for?" RICO asked Noah as he set down his tool kit and his lap top. Noah just looked to them.

"Well, we still don't really know how you work." Noah told him. "We need to be sure everything's working the way it should."

"RICO broken?" RICO asked him. "You fix?"

"If something needs fixed, I'll see what I can do." Noah told him. RICO picked up a power drill and was about to start drilling into his arm, when Noah snatched it off him. "What are you doing?"

"RICO help friend." He stated. "RICO want to help friend see if RICO is broken."

"OK, that's good...but how about you just trust me with the tools?" Noah asked him. "Cat, can you keep him distracted somehow?"

"Kay Kay." She chimed in cheerfully as she came across. "RICO, you see all that wood and stuff over there? We're going to make it into a Thanksgiving float."

"RICO not understand." RICO told her honestly.

"It's kind of a vehicle, one that's really fancy that shows up at parades and special occasions that's decorated in a way to mark the occasion." She told him. "I'm just going to show you some of the designs I had in mind OK?"

As Noah started up his lap top, RICO turned his attention to the computer.

Metal Alice had returned to the underwater base, and hooked herself into the control console, enacting her self-repair mechanism. She had suffered barely any damage beyond the cosmetic, and she knew it would take only minutes to return to one hundred percent. The communications link burst into life behind her.

"Lord Vrak." She greeted him without turning to face him. "Your communication is 1.93 seconds later than I calculated."

"I have to say, I was watching the broadcasts for signs of your impressive new creation." He told her. "Though I have to admit, I don't know what was more impressive, when you screamed at it for standing around like a hand stand, or when he took that one hit and keeled over like worthless scrap."

"Your tone indicates sarcasm, it isn't warranted." She responded. "My plan is going exactly as I intended."

"Really?" Vrak asked her. "You intended to waste valuable time and resources creating a robot that doesn't even know when to attack?"

"See for yourself." Metal Alice told him, sending him some schematics. Vrak smiled wickedly as the pieces of the plan fall into place. "All going well, I will accomplish what none of your other creations ever could."

She then activated a hidden command, and pulled up an image. She drew away from the computer as she saw nothing but nonsensical drawings, one of them featuring turkeys and pies, covering a table that seemed to be resting on some kind of vehicle.

"What...what is this?" Metal Alice demanded. As the image moved, she could see they were inside the school gym. "This is merely a setback Lord Vrak."

"Well, I'll just leave you to follow events here." Vrak told her. "Meanwhile, I have to finish scavenging everything of worth from the ship. It won't be much longer until I hand in my notice for good."

"I will do so master." She replied as he signed off. She looked back to the viewing screen, seeing Cat explaining the drawings. "Presuming this inane prattling doesn't damage my processors in the meantime."

Back at the gym, Noah was continuing to run his tests. Without opening RICO up, he really couldn't tell much about him, but he found a few things that were obvious. It seemed that most of his systems seemed to work on a combination of electronics and hydraulics, but they were so much more advanced than anything he had seen. Most robots humans had created were slow, clunky, and unrefined. We had yet to create anything as refined as this. While robots that could walk had been created, they tended to be slow, and the slightest unfamiliar surface unbalanced them. They didn't have the processing power of a human brain to make the literally millions of calculations and corrections a human would take for granted in the simplest tasks, like walking on an uneven floor.

His hydraulics however seemed to have a response time that was more or less equivalent to human musculature. If he was given time to practice a task, he would theoretically be just as capable of performing it as a human would, possibly even more so. Noah shined a light into his visor to see if RICO responded, and noticed it tinting a little, kind of his version of his pupils dilating he presumed.

"OK RICO, I need to..." Noah's words tailed off as he came across a stumbling block. "Um..."

"What is it?" Cat asked Noah.

"I need to...see what his temperature is." Noah told her.

"So use a thermometer." She replied.

"The thing is, that'll only give his surface temperature." Noah explained. "He's made of metal; it'll be more or less room temperature. I need to know his core temperature."

"Oh." Cat stated, looking to RICO. "RICO, open up and say AHHHH!"

"Open up what?" RICO asked, looking at her, confused. It was then that CAT saw a problem.

"Cat, he doesn't have a mouth." Noah reminded her.

"Oh." Cat responded as she thought about it. "Well, when a doctor wants to take a temperature, sometimes they..."

She pulled closer and whispered in his ear. Noah just looked to her.

"He doesn't have one of those either!" He replied. "At least...I don't THINK he does, I haven't really looked."

"What does Noah want RICO to do?" RICO asked.

"Um...I was just wondering, is there any way I can get your core temperature?" He asked. RICO just sat still for a moment.

"Current internal core temperature 102 degrees Celsius." RICO informed him.

"Oh." Cat answered, looking to Noah. "Isn't that kind of high?"

"Not for an engine." Noah assured her. "What are the optimal and safe ranges?"

"Optimal running temperatures 90-110 Celsius." RICO told him. "Safe running 10-200 Celsius."

"I guess that all sounds pretty good then." Noah sighed as he started to pack away his gear. Emma and the others came back, classes having finally finished for the day.

"So, what did you find out?" Emma asked.

"Well, as near as I can tell, he has a pretty clean bill of health physically for a robot." Noah told her. "I just wish I could get inside his head for a look at his programming."

RICO reached for the power drill again, only for Noah to snatch it off him again.

"He also...takes things kind of literally." Noah stated.

"RICO, were you going to use that on your head?" Emma asked him.

"Noah said he wanted to see inside RICO's head." RICO stated bluntly. Emma just glared at him, before looking to RICO.

"He didn't really mean he wanted you to drill into your own head!" Emma tried to explain. "It's just an expression; he just...didn't explain what he meant very well."

"So, the question is, what do we do with him now?" Troy asked. "I doubt Gosei wants us to take him to the Command Centre."

"He made it pretty clear he doesn't until we know more about his programming." Noah stated. "I'll need to bring more stuff from my place tomorrow, but until then, we'll need somewhere for him to go."

"Well, we can always..."

"NO Emma!" Gia interrupted the Pink Ranger sharply.

"But Gia..."

"Look, I know you want to trust him and give him the benefit of the doubt and everything, but do you really think Eric and mom would let a robot live in the house?" She asked her. "Your dad freaked when he found that badger you found in the road!"

"That...was different. It's not like I could hide RICO in the laundry hamper." Emma told her. "Besides, Dad and Louise..."

"They've been really cool and understanding about the Ranger thing up until now, but I think this is just a little too much." Gia told her. Noah just sighed and looked to RICO.

"How much do you weigh?" He asked.

"RICO weighs 897.653 pounds." RICO replied. He just gestured to him.

"Well that settles it; we couldn't get him there anyway." Noah told her. "He'd blow out the suspension in your dad's car, and I think people might just notice him walking down the street."

"Why take him anywhere?" Jordan asked. "Metal Alice said he was a complete failure. The only reason she's not been back for him is probably because he's a throwaway prototype."

"RICO failure?" RICO asked.

"RICO, don't listen to him." Emma stated, looking to Jordan. "He doesn't have any friends, or anyone to look out for him, just us!"

"He doesn't have any friends?" Jordan shrieked, looking like he didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "HE'S A ROBOT! He's a glorified waffle iron! He doesn't have feelings or anything like that! He's just a machine, and he's clearly so busted up and useless even Metal Alice doesn't want him!"

"He's responding to our orders." Gia stated.

"Well, he's responding to Emma's actually." Noah corrected her. "He seems to have latched onto her as kind of his new mommy."

"Will you stop calling me that?" Emma said grumpily.

"But, he answered you..."

"He's only responding to us because Emma told him to." Noah answered. Emma just looked to RICO.

"Alright RICO, you remember how I said you were to obey Noah and Cat just like they were me?" Emma asked him.

"RICO remember." RICO stated.

"Well, you can trust the rest of my friends." Emma continued. "You see everyone here? Gia, Jake, Noah, Cat and Troy? Well, I want you to obey all of them as if they were me alright? I promise they won't harm you."

"Wait, what about me?" Jordan asked her. Emma just looked at him sceptically.

"He's already tried to drill a hole in his own head because Noah accidentally suggested it to him." Emma reminded him. "Do you think I'm going to risk letting you tell him what to do when I know you want him destroyed?"

"Jordan want RICO destroyed?" RICO asked her. He looked to Jordan. "Why? What did RICO do to Jordan?"

"I think we should probably just finish this discussion another time." Troy suggested as he held Jordan back. "The basement. Principal Kwann gave us keys to the basement. No one goes down there!"

"Yeah, he can stay in the basement of a high school full of innocent kids! What could possibly go wrong there?" Jordan asked sarcastically. "I got my key ring confiscated because it had a one inch case knife on it, and you want to let a walking weapon of mass destruction stay here?"

"RICO won't harm anyone will you RICO?" Emma asked.

"Emma not want RICO to harm anyone, RICO will not harm anyone." RICO replied. Jordan just threw his hands up in the air.

"OK, I've had enough." He snapped. "When you finally want that...THING destroyed, call me. Until then, I'm going somewhere things make sense!"

"Why Jordan want to destroy RICO?" RICO asked Emma. Emma just sighed.

"He's just...he doesn't like robots too much." Emma explained. "A really bad robot did something really bad to him. Now...he doesn't like robots."

"RICO not understand." He said in response. Emma just handed him a key. "At the end of the hall, there's a red door that'll take you down into the basement. When you get there, go to the door with a sign on it saying pump room. This key will open it. You can go in there and wait until we come back."

"Emma will come back?" RICO asked her. She nodded.

"Of course I will." She told him. "I'll be back tomorrow before school, by seven o'clock, that way we can spend some time together."

"RICO believe Emma." RICO replied. "Can RICO learn things while Emma away? RICO not understand a lot of things."

"Uh...the library's just down the hall on the right." Noah told him. "But don't go in there before six PM. No one can see you. And you have to leave and go to the basement before seven AM."

"RICO will do so." He replied. Troy and the others just started to gather their things to leave.

"Come on guys, it's getting late." Gia grumbled. "I guess we'll start on the float tomorrow."

"I just wish we had more time to work on it." Cat lamented as she left.

As they left, RICO just looked to the pile of wood in the corner. He made his way over to it, picking up one of the packing pallets and inspecting it. He yanked two of the planks apart with his bare hands with ease, before pushing out the nails with his palm.


	8. RICO's Gift

Emma, Gia, Cat and Eric got to the school early the next morning. Although Eric wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of getting up to drive the girls to school for 7AM, he had agreed to do it, knowing that Emma had a lot of work ahead of her to put together the Thanksgiving float, he understood them wanting to get to school early.

As he pulled up to the lay by out the front of the school, he looked to Emma.

"I swear, I never wanted to be at school this early when I was your age." He stated as he looked to the girls. "Where are the others?"

"Troy's usually out running at this time." Emma told him. "He's probably already in the gym waiting for us."

"Well, try to have fun." Eric told them as they all started to disembark. Gia took Cat's hand as they got out, walking with her as they headed for the gym.

"I wonder how RICO's been without us." She mused. "I hope he hasn't been lonely."

"I don't think robots feel lonely." Gia assured her.

"Well, he really didn't want Emma to leave." Cat reminded her. "Maybe he's, you know, got feelings or something."

"Why would Metal Alice programme feelings into any of her robots?" Gia asked her.

"Why would she programme an attack robot with no targets?" Cat asked in response. "Maybe he can write some of his own programme, you know...like he can learn stuff?"

"Well, as long as he doesn't hurt anyone, he's getting the benefit of the doubt." Gia answered as they rounded a corner. They all paused as they saw something odd. "Um...wasn't there a flower garden here?"

"Yeah, there was." Emma answered, looking at the now-empty soil. "Someone pulled up all the flowers...the rest of the grounds look the same!"

"Why would anyone do that?" Cat asked. Just then, they heard a small cough behind them. Turning around, they found Principal Kwann standing behind them. She had her arms crossed, and was looking a little put out. Gia smiled at her.

"Principal Kwann, you're here early." She greeted her. "Did you see...?"

"I had noticed that the flower beds were missing." She told them. "Would the three of you mind coming with me?"

They followed her as she took them through to the gym. As soon as they arrived, they saw what Trini had intended to show them. The guys were all sitting on a bench silently, having been told to wait for them. The packing pallets were gone, and had been replaced by a float. It wasn't as if it was just a built up frame either, it was fully decorated as well, with flowers stuck to it all around, and the middle of it set up with a number of decorations. Cat looked to Emma and Gia.

"It's my 'Favourite Things' design." She told them. Principal Kwann just looked at them.

"So, I knew you were coming in early to work on this, so imagine my surprise when I found it built, and no sign of any of you." She responded. "Oh, and don't try and tell me the guys built it, because they arrived after me too."

"How...how early did you get here?" Emma asked.

"That's not really the point now is it?" Trini asked her. "So, for starters, I don't remember telling you that the flower beds were fair game to be harvested for this. And the rest of the decorations were 'acquired' from all around the school."

The girls just looked at each other, and realised what had happened. There really only was one explanation. If the guys hadn't done it, then the only one who was in the school who could have was RICO. He must have thought that when they commented how much work putting together the float was that they wanted him to do it. They suddenly hit on another thought. If Principal Kwann knew none of them had been in the school, did she...?

"Oh, I also wanted to ask, why exactly is there a robot in the basement?" She asked them. Emma just looked more than a little sheepish. "I did ask him, but all he'd say is that Emma told him to stay there."

Emma was now firmly on the spot. She didn't know what to say or do. While the others would back her up and support her in front of Trini, she had been named as the one responsible. She looked to Trini.

"Um...I'm sorry?" She offered weakly. "He must have misunderstood when we were talking about the float and thought we wanted him to make it. I'll...I'll find some way to replace everything that's been taken..."

"I'm not really concerned about the flowers." Trini interrupted her, folding her arms and looking to Emma sternly. "And that old copper kettle from the teachers' lounge should have been replaced years ago anyway. I'm just a little more concerned about why exactly there's an attack robot sitting in my basement refusing to leave because you told him he could stay there."

"He's one of Metal Alice's robots." Emma explained. "He was damaged in the last battle, and she left him behind."

"So of course you thought why not bring him to a school." Trini remarked. Emma just sighed, realising that it didn't sound particularly good.

"She ordered him to attack us, but he didn't." Emma explained. "Then when we tried to attack her, she threw him in the way and disappeared. She seems to think he's gone, or doesn't care about him. She doesn't seem to want him back. We thought, maybe we could learn more about her from him."

"Emma, it's commendable, it really is." Trini answered as she looked to her thoughtfully. "When I was your age...I did some pretty similar things myself, so I can't really judge you, but I have more than you and your...extracurricular..."

"I know they're the Rangers." Cat chimed in. She just looked around as the others stared at her. "What? She found RICO, it's not like we could be in any more trouble."

"All I'm saying is that I have more to thing about than your extra responsibilities. I have responsibilities too. I have a responsibility to the other students for their safety." Trini continued. "I'm sorry Emma, I don't doubt your motives, but RICO can't stay here. I'm sorry."

"I understand." Emma answered with a sad little nod. "Thanks."

"Just make sure you take him somewhere safe." Trini told her. "I really hope you're right about him."

As she left, Emma looked to the others. Jordan in particular didn't seem at all pleased.

"RICO meant well. He probably doesn't even realise he did anything wrong." Emma told them. "It's not like he hurt anyone."

"Emma, we know you mean well, but maybe Principal Kwann has a point." Jake suggested. "We didn't take him to the Command Centre because we were worried about him."

"Maybe it's time to face the fact that we can't change what he is." Jordan told her. "He's a weapon, he was always a weapon, and he'll always BE a weapon. What if he's designed to get us to trust him? What if he's meant to let us take him to the Command Centre and then activate?"

"He's not like that!" Emma insisted.

"Emma, it's not easy, but I trust your judgement." Troy admitted. "But that still doesn't change the fact that we need somewhere else to take him."

"Fine, I'll find somewhere else to take him." She responded. She looked to Gia. "I'll take him up to the woods. I'll find somewhere out there he can stay."

"Maybe he'll rust." Jordan snorted. Emma just glared at him, before storming off. Gia just looked to him.

"Do you have to be like that?" Gia asked him.

"I still say that we'd avoid all of this if we just destroyed him." Jordan answered. "He'd probably do the same to us if he wasn't all...busted and useless."

"Well...he is." Cat interjected. "He's actually kind of sweet. Because of him, you don't have to build this float."

Jordan and the others just looked to the float. It wasn't their first choice of designs; in fact it was the first one they rejected. Still, they didn't love the thought of having to build a new one, and it seemed pointless to take it apart now. Cat just grabbed Gia by the hand, and then took her to go with Emma to see RICO. The others just shrugged.

"I guess she has a point." Noah replied. "Besides, I guess we should know where he's going to be staying."

"Alright, whatever." Jordan answered. "But I am SO going to say I told you so when something goes wrong!"

As they got to the basement, Emma opened the door, finding RICO sitting on the bench. He looked up to her as she entered.

"Ms Kwann was unhappy RICO was here." He greeted her. "Ms Kwann unhappy when RICO tell her Emma tell him RICO can stay here. Did RICO do something bad?"

"No, you didn't do anything." Emma told him. "It was my mistake, I shouldn't have asked you to stay here."

"Did Emma see gift RICO make for Emma and her friends?" He asked.

"We found it." Emma assured him. "Thank you for doing that."

"Thank you?" RICO asked her. Emma realised he didn't understand what she meant. It was something that she had noticed about him; he seemed to have only a basic understanding of language. He was obviously only programmed to receive orders and communicate information with whoever gave him those orders, and some of his habits like constantly referring to himself and others by name instead of using pronouns like "I" or "you" showed that he wasn't really programmed to speak as others did. She had a feeling that Metal Alice would probably have little regard for social pleasantries like please and thank you.

"It's just something we say to each other when someone does something for us." Emma explained. "It's our way of saying that we're grateful...um...that someone did something good."

"RICO did a good thing?" He asked. Emma just nodded.

"You did." She told him. "And I'm going to do something good for you. I'm going to find somewhere you can stay."

"Thank you." He answered. As he got up, he followed Emma as she led him out of the school basement.

Back in the underwater base, Metal Alice turned on her surveillance, finding that now, the Rangers were heading out into the woods. As Vrak opened the communications link, she was busy tracking them.

"Have you gotten any results yet?" He asked her. Metal Alice just looked to him.

"They haven't said anything of consequence yet." She informed him. "I am certain they will allow their guard to slip soon. The Pink Ranger especially seems to have formed an emotional attachment to Robot 1 C 0."

"This is taking too long." Vrak told her. "Every day we waste brings us closer to the day Malkor hatches from that cocoon."

"I have things under control here." She assured him.

"You better. My patience is wearing thin." He responded. Metal Alice just turned back to the console as he signed off.

Out in the woods, the Rangers waited at the opening of a cave while Emma checked it out. Although they were sure that RICO didn't really need much in the way of shelter, they figured he at least needed somewhere he could remain out of sight. It wasn't like many people came hiking this far out, especially in winter, but they didn't want to take any chances. Noah, meanwhile, was taking the opportunity to run a few more tests on him with his laptop.

"Jordan, come and have a look at this." Noah told him. Jordan came over, checking the screen. "This looks kind of familiar doesn't it?"

"We already know that Metal Alice based RICO on the Robo Knight." Jordan responded.

"It's more than that." Noah told him. "RICO's systems aren't a copy...the technology is virtually identical."

"RICO like Jordan?" RICO asked. Jordan just held up a finger.

"You're nothing like me." Jordan responded.

"In one way he is." Noah told him. "I'm no expert, but I'd say most of his tech is identical to the Robo Knight armour. If I was to hazard a guess...I'd say his blueprint is Eltarian in origin."

"No doubt another little trinket Vrak picked up from Lord Zedd's stash." Jordan grumbled. Just then, Emma came out of the cave.

"Alright, nothing's hibernating in there." Emma announced as she came out. "I guess a lot of the bears and stuff moved on because of the attacks. You should be safe here RICO."

"RICO safe?" He asked her. "Thank you."

"It's alright RICO; it was the least I could do." She told him.

"RICO thought the least one can do is nothing?" RICO stated. Emma didn't bother to tell him what she meant. It was obvious he just missed the fact it was just a saying.

"Well, we'll be back later for you. To see how you're doing." Emma told him, before fetching out her camera. RICO looked at it.

"What is that?" He asked her. Emma just looked to him.

"It's a camera. One of the things I enjoy is taking pictures of things I like." She told him. She flicked through a couple of pictures she had saved on it to show him. "I take a lot of pictures of my friends."

"Why?" He asked in response.

"Well..." She had to think of a way to explain it. "Human memories aren't like robot memories. Our memories fade over time, so we take pictures to help us remember places we've been and things we've seen. I like to have pictures of my friends so I remember the times I've spent with them."

"Emma wants to take RICO picture?" He asked. Emma just nodded.

"Oh for God's sake." Jordan grumbled. "Emma, he's not a friend, he's a MACHINE!"

"Well, maybe if we show him some kindness, he'll be a friend." Emma told him. "Friends share things right?"

"Emma, he does whatever you say. If you want to know what Metal Alice..."

"Metal Alice is not RICO's friend." RICO declared. "Metal Alice was not nice to RICO like Emma is."

"You see?" Emma asked him. "We can ask him whatever we like, that doesn't mean to say we can't be nice to him about it."

"Whatever." Jordan sneered. "Maybe I'll ask my toaster if it wants to go on a date when I get home."

"I'll set it up on a timer. That way we can all be in the picture." She told RICO, ignoring Jordan's remark. "See, so we're all friends."

"We're not seriously doing this right?" Jordan asked. "You want me to get in a picture with THAT?"

"Jordan not like RICO because RICO is robot." RICO stated. "Jordan is not friend?"

"Wow, you're smart. You managed to figure that out." Jordan said sarcastically.

"Jordan, there's no reason to be like that." Cat reprimanded him. "RICO's done nothing to you. He's been nothing but nice."

"Jordan is Emma's friend. RICO wants to be friends with all Emma's friends." RICO told him. "RICO wants to be Jordan's friend."

"Yeah, don't hold your breath for that." Jordan responded.

"RICO does not breathe." RICO answered.

"Some people take longer to be friends than others." Emma assured RICO. "Now Jordan, you're my friend and I want you in this picture."

Jordan just threw his hands up and lined up with the others as Emma set up her camera.

Back in the underwater base, Metal Alice was watching the footage. She started stroking the side of her head.

"Such endless inane prattle, it's worse than one of those humans' reality shows." She complained.

Back in the woods, Emma had set up her camera, and after a little convincing, had finally gotten the others to take a few pictures with RICO. She knew that strictly speaking he couldn't actually "enjoy" anything, but she could swear that the way he was acting, it was almost like he loved being a part of group. He had even asked them to take a few more pictures just to make sure he had pictures with all of them.

As they were packing up to go back to school though, Noah saw something that troubled him. The plate on RICO's chest had a light on it that started blinking.

"What is that?" Noah asked.

"What's what?" Emma asked, before seeing the light. She looked to RICO with concern, touching the light with her fingers. "RICO, do you know what this is?"

"RICO doesn't know." He replied. "Is this bad?"

"We need to find out." Emma told him. She pulled out her morpher.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Troy asked her.

"RICO could be in trouble, we need to know for sure!" She told him.

"But Emma..."

"I'll take the blame!" She told him. Before anyone could stop her, she grabbed RICO and teleported. The rest of them teleported after her, realising she was taking RICO to the Command Centre. Cat just looked around at the bags left lying around.

"I guess I'm taking everyone's stuff back to school." She sighed as she started gathering their stuff together. "At least I don't have classes to worry about."


	9. The Red Light

As Emma arrived in the Command Centre with RICO, the alarms immediately sounded. She and RICO looked around, completely confused as red lights started to flash.

"What is happening?" RICO asked her. Before Emma could think of an answer, he blasted RICO in the chest with beams from the statue's eyes. RICO looked up to him, his visor glowing deep red. Before he could do anything though, a white, rippling field appeared around him.

"RICO!" Emma called out. "Gosei..."

"You were forbidden to bring him here!" Gosei called out as the others arrived, just a moment behind her. They heard the alarms, and could see RICO restrained in the energy field.

"I guess he took it well." Jake stated, seeing some smoke still emanating from a scorch mark in RICO's chest plate.

"You were FORBIDDEN to bring him here!" Gosei bellowed again as Tensou zoomed into view, beginning to scan RICO. "Tensou, did you detect any foreign signals?"

"There was an attempt made to create a connection between RICO and...the other end of the signal seems to terminate somewhere under the ocean."

"What kind of signal?" Noah asked. Just then, they heard some loud banging and some flashes of light. They turned to see RICO battering into the energy field with his hands.

"Why did the statue attack RICO? What did RICO do to the statue?" RICO asked, hammering into the field, causing Emma to shudder in fear as he hit it, each time with a flash of light and a loud crack. "Let RICO go!"

"RICO, please stop, you're damaging yourself!" Emma begged him, coming up to the field, reaching out as close as she could to the field. She could feel the hair on her hands standing up, and knew an incredible current had to be running through it. Gosei had put him into this field to restrain him and ensure he couldn't attack. "Please!"

RICO looked to Emma, and immediately stopped attacking the field. As he put his arms down by his sides, they could see his hands were badly scorched and smoking.

"Why did statue attack RICO?" RICO asked again. "Emma said she would take RICO somewhere RICO could get help."

"I did, we can help you here!" Emma insisted. "Tensou, can you look over RICO?"

"I'll do what I can." Tensou told her as he shut off the alarm.

"Emma, bringing unfamiliar technology in here is dangerous. The last technology we brought here had to be destroyed." Gosei told her. "We don't know what RICO's purpose is."

"Tensou, this light on his chest started blinking a moment ago." Emma informed him. "It activated just as we were taking pictures. Maybe the infra red on my camera activated something."

"There was a failed attempt at a signal connection." Tensou reminded her. "RICO was put into that energy field before the connection could be made."

"What kind of signal?" Noah asked him. "Could you crack it and see what the instruction was?"

"He was probably designed to activate if someone was stupid enough to bring him to the Command Centre!" Jordan said as he glared at Emma.

"Hey, that's enough!" Gia said angrily, coming to Emma's side protectively.

"Oh come on, can't you see the wounded puppy thing was just an act?" Jordan asked her. "That signal came just as he was brought here. At best Metal Alice was probably trying to get him to show her where the Command Centre is. At worst, he was going to suddenly stop being all cute and fluffy. Isn't that right RICO?"

"RICO is not fluffy. RICO is made of metal." RICO responded.

"Yeah, I'll bet you've got all sorts of weapons in there right?" Jordan asked him. "I'll bet if it wasn't for that energy field, you'd probably be attacking us all right now."

"Jordan, that's enough!" Emma yelled at him. "RICO can't help it if Metal Alice put something in him. He didn't choose that."

"He didn't choose anything, he's a ROBOT!" Jordan said as he got into Emma's face. "He's a walking tin can! He doesn't think, he doesn't choose, he just does what he's told, when he's told. The second Metal Alice doesn't tell him to be a wounded bird to get you all maternal, he..."

Jordan jumped, feeling a harsh sting. He looked to see Tensou looking at him, a taser attachment extended from his body.

"What was that about robots?" Tensou asked him.

"Tensou, I didn't mean..." Jordan started to stammer out, looking around. "I mean, you're different, Gosei made you, you're..."

"I'm only here to do as I'm told and help." Tensou responded, before turning away from him. Gia got into Jordan's face.

"I know you've been through a lot, but back off." Gia warned him. "I think you've said enough."

Jordan just backed away, looking far from happy. Before anyone could say anything, there was a huge explosion, making everyone jump. Looking around, they saw the energy field was gone. RICO was standing, one of his hands now an energy cannon, smoking having been recently fired into the ceiling, smashing the mechanism that created the field. He teleported out of the Command Centre, leaving the Rangers completely dumbfounded.

"You know, somehow...I told you so just doesn't seem strong enough." Jordan stated as Emma stood silently, looking at the place RICO had been standing.

"I...I can't believe...he just..."

"RICO must be recaptured!" Gosei commanded them. "We have no telling what kind of information he has taken. He cannot be allowed to remain active!"

"He seemed so different." Emma stated.

"Well, that's just..."

"I swear Jordan, one more word and I'll crack your head open." Gia warned him. "Right now, let's just find RICO and we'll worry about who should have done what then."

"His signal's hard to locate. The sensor in his chest, the competing signal...it's making him hard to pinpoint." Noah told them. "He's somewhere in the woods."

"Alright, let's split up and find him." Troy answered. They teleported out, aiming for different points of the woods, intending to find RICO before anyone else did. Right now, they had no telling what he was doing or why. All they knew was that right now, they needed to find him first.

Back at the underwater base, Metal Alice was working frantically on the control console while Vrak kept track of things over his communicator.

"What happened?" He asked her. "Why is this taking so long?"

"I saw Gosei, he must have been taken to the Command Centre." Metal Alice told him. "The signal was lost after that. I didn't discern the location from his signal, or activate his attack mode. His signal has re-appeared though. He must have escaped."

"He escaped?" Vrak asked her. "Then find him!"

"I'm trying, there are a lot of signals in the area, something is interfering with his control sensor signal." Metal Alice told him. "I'll need to get closer to him to activate his control mechanism."

"Do what you have to." Vrak told her. "I've never gotten so close to finding where Gosei hides. His reliance on his technology for survival makes him vulnerable. Once we find him, he's as good as destroyed!"

"I'll find Robot 1 C 0." Metal Alice told him as she picked up her tablet. "By the end of the day, I will have Gosei's location."

Meanwhile, in the woods, Emma was desperately searching for RICO. She couldn't believe she had been taken in like that. In that one moment, she had seen what everyone was trying to tell her all along. For all she wanted to believe he was different, she had seen him utilising his energy cannon. As much as she wanted to believe in the good in him, that was still inside him. He was created to be a weapon.

As she rounded a rock, she found RICO sitting on a log outside the cave she had told him to stay in before they saw the sensor activated. He didn't look any different to her than he had done. Emma reached for her morpher seeing him, but as he looked up she paused.

"RICO, you...you ran away." Emma began. "You...you escaped from the energy field."

"Jordan and Gosei wanted to disassemble RICO." He told her. "RICO doesn't want to be disassembled."

"You scared us when you used that cannon." Emma told him. "I thought you promised me you wouldn't hurt anyone."

"RICO didn't hurt anyone. RICO only escaped." He explained to her. "Did RICO do a bad thing?"

"No, you just scared us." Emma told him. RICO looked down to his chest.

"This sensor will let Metal Alice tell RICO what to do." He said, letting Emma see that he understood what had been said. "Metal Alice is not nice to RICO like Emma is. RICO doesn't want to do what Metal Alice tells him to."

Emma just smiled hearing this. Although she knew that people would say it was just programming, she felt in her heart that something was different about the way he was talking. He had expressed the fact he didn't WANT to accept Metal Alice's commands, even though he understood he wouldn't be able to do anything to refuse those orders. If he could feel anything, Emma was sure that he was almost expressing sadness, knowing he couldn't help what was inside him.

"It's alright RICO, I won't let anyone harm you." Emma told him, hugging him tightly. "It might mean we have to hide you for a little while, but...maybe we can remove that sensor. Maybe there's some way we can let you be free."

"Free?" He asked her. Emma just nodded.

"It means you wouldn't have to do anything you didn't want to do." She explained to him. "It would mean no one could make you do something you don't want to do."

"RICO want to be free." RICO responded. "RICO want to be free to be with Emma."

"That's good." Emma told him as the others finally arrived, obviously having had the same thought, that he would go somewhere familiar. Emma held up a hand. "It's alright, he just did what he did because he thought we were going to destroy him. If we take him back, he won't do it again. If we promise not to harm you again, will you promise not to use any of your weapons, and do what we tell you?"

"RICO will do what you say." RICO replied. Emma just smiled.

"Good." She told him. "Now, we need to go back to Gosei. Don't worry, we won't let him harm you..."

"Well, isn't that sweet." They heard a familiar voice saying. They turned in time to see Metal Alice arriving. "This experiment has been most enlightening. Your pathetic human emotions cloud your judgement! If I suspected any of my followers of being a traitor, I would have destroyed them in a second."

Before any of them could respond, she tapped the screen of her tablet. At this range, the signal had no interruptions. Emma watched as both of RICO's arms transformed into cannons, and his face changed into a horrendous, snarling visage.

"Robo gained your trust, just as I knew he would." She announced. "You should have listened to Robo Knight. He's the most evolved among you, and yet instead you fell for the programmed weakling I created to play your emotions."

"RICO?" Emma asked. The robot didn't even respond to her commands.

"He obeys only me now." Metal Alice warned her. "Robot 1 C 0, destroy them!"

RICO levelled one of his blaster cannons at them and opened fire. The Rangers scattered, running for cover, morphing as they went.

"I am so SICK of being right!" Jordan roared as he formed his armour up around himself. He looked to Troy. "Deal with RICO!"

"What?" Troy asked him. "Jordan..."

He was too late though, Jordan rushed towards Metal Alice, drawing his Robo Blade as he went. Troy knew that Jordan didn't really care one way or another about RICO, but on this one occasion, it seemed like his single-minded nature might help them. If Metal Alice was controlling RICO, then maybe taking her out of the equation would help them regain control of him. The only thing that mattered was that they couldn't allow Metal Alice to take him away and analyse his memory. Anything he had learned could be used against them, including the location of the Command Centre.

"Emma, I know you don't want to do this." Troy told his girlfriend. "But RICO's dangerous. He's at least as powerful as Robo Knight. If we have no other choice..."

"I understand." She told him. With that, they broke cover, heading straight for RICO.

A little way off, Jordan was locked in a deadly battle with Metal Alice. His rage filled him, making it hard to breathe as he tried to find a way though her guard. Alice just shoved him into the cliff face, before scoring two harsh slashes to the chest. Jordan looked up at her.

"Now, this is a familiar look isn't it?" She asked him. "This is just how that human looked before I gutted him like a fish."

He was starting to get up, but she kicked him down again. She flicked his Robo Blade away with her sword.

"You saw through my ruse right away didn't you? You weren't fooled by my ruse at all. You just knew that I was using him to get into your Command Centre." She taunted him.

"I figured it was too much to hope for that you'd come up with an original plan." He spat angrily as he struggled to get free of her. "That worm programme in your mask? The one that crashed the system? I bet you were hoping that would give you access."

"Worm programme?" She asked him. She started to laugh, taking Jordan aback slightly. "Is that what Gosei told you? That I tried to use a worm programme in my mask? I really pity you humans, you're so easily deceived. You can't even see when the one you've entrusted your lives to is the biggest liar of all."

"Gosei?" Jordan asked her. "What are you talking about? What does this mean?"

"He's the one with the answers, he's the one keeping the truth from all of you, and yet no matter how many times he sends you to risk your lives, you still never ask him why he's got all the answers at his fingertips, and yet still sends you blindly out into the world." She told him. "It's so pathetic to watch. You deserve so much better. Yet now, you get to die knowing that the only one that could give you everything you seek, is the one you trusted from the beginning."

Jordan finally managed to get his hand free, and threw a rock into her face, staggering her. He snatched up his Robo Blade and rushed to the attack. Metal Alice barely got her blade up in time, but with the power of everything Jordan had behind it, both blades shattered, scattering across the ground.

"NO!" She screamed, seeing the blade in pieces before her. She punched Jordan hard in the stomach, winding him even through the armour, before launching him to the ground. "You ruined everything!"

"Glad to oblige!" Jordan wheezed as she started to pound into him ferociously.

Over at the site of the other battle, RICO's display flickered, and he suddenly became aware of what was happening. When the sword was destroyed, Metal Alice's control signal was destroyed with it. He powered down his attack mode, just as Troy cut him down with his Ultra Sword. He looked up to him from the ground.

"What happened?" He asked. "Metal Alice made RICO attack his friends?"

"RICO?" Emma asked him. "Guys, I think...I think Jordan managed to disrupt the signal!"

"RICO does not want to hurt friends again." RICO told them. "Friends should destroy RICO before..."

"No RICO, we won't do that." Emma told him. She started to try and think of a way to protect him. "Guys, Metal Alice couldn't control him when he was far away right? What if we take him away?"

"Emma..."

"Guys, trust me!" She told them, pulling out her power card. "Gosei Command Ship!"

As the Command Ship showed up, landing before them, Emma grabbed RICO and started to lead him towards the ship.

"Emma is risking her life for RICO." He stated. "Emma should not...

"It's what friends do." She told him. "I'm not going to let Metal Alice control you again."

"You take him away." Troy told her. "We'll go and find Jordan."

"Jordan!" RICO called out. "Metal Alice is destroying Jordan!"

Before Emma knew what was happening, RICO ran from the ship, bowling over all the Rangers as he went. By the time they got up, he was long since gone.

"RICO!" She screamed after him, struggling to turn the ship around.

Elsewhere, Jordan's heads up display showed that his power level was reaching critical levels. He could feel his armour buckling and cracking as she struck him, and knew it wasn't going to be long before she'd get through to him. In a last ditch effort to stop her, he shifted his bodyweight, taking both of them over a cliff. As they tumbled, slamming into the rock face, he saw her face strike a rock. By the time they stopped at the foot of the cliff, she pulled herself to her feet, and came over to him. He tried to get up, but by now, he was well and truly spent.

"You are troublesome, but squeezing the life from you will be worth it!" She told him. Jordan just looked up.

"You sound like you're taking all this kind of personally for a machine." He told her. Metal Alice grabbed him, lifting him up. It was only then that he saw her face. It was torn, and leaking...but it didn't look like any form of machine fluids. In fact, if he wasn't mistaken...it almost looked like blood. "You...you aren't just a machine are you?"

She didn't answer, slamming him into the ground a few more times. Eventually, his armour gave up the ghost, and returned inside him. He looked to her, hardly able to breathe.

"Why?" He asked her. "Why do you have a vendetta against me?"

"That, I'm afraid is something you will never..."

Her words were cut off as RICO slammed into her, having controlled his fall enough to arrive on the scene. Jordan could hardly believe what he was seeing as the others arrived to help him.

"RICO's attacking Metal Alice!" Gia called out. They watched as he snatched her into a full-nelson.

"Robot 1 C 0, release me at once!" She screamed.

"Metal Alice is bad. Metal Alice try to hurt RICO's friends!"

She struggled against him, causing sparks to fly as they collided with a rock face.

"My signal...why is it not...?"

"RICO does not want to hurt friends, not even Jordan!" He told her. The truth was that while destroying her sword weakened the signal, it came from Metal Alice herself. RICO could feel her will in his systems, trying to take over, but any time she tried to force him to comply, he just remembered that she was hurting his friends.

"You can't resist me forever!" She told him. "My signal will regain control of you!"

"Leave him alone!" Gia screamed at him. As she was about to run forward though, RICO fired an eye-beam, stopping her.

"Stay away!" Rico warned her, before looking to Metal Alice. "RICO does not need to resist you forever. RICO only needs fifteen seconds!"

"Fift..." Noah started to say, before getting a horrible realisation. He and Jake picked up Jordan. "Guys, hit the deck!"

The Rangers all threw themselves into cover, just as RICO's self-destruct mechanism activated, causing a huge explosion that ripped through the woods. As the dust settled, they broke cover, seeing the charred, damaged form of Metal Alice shakily regaining her feet.

"Another day Rangers!" She snarled. "This isn't over Robo Knight! Your life WILL be MINE!"

With that, she disappeared. The Rangers all gathered in the clearing, Emma was noticeably silent.

Troy just put his arm around Emma as she surveyed the scene, finding nothing of RICO left behind.

"Come on guys." He said sadly. "There's nothing else we can do here."

With that, they all made their way home, all thinking about RICO, and the sacrifice he had made.


	10. RICO's Send-Off

The Rangers were walking along the long path back to the school, all of them remarkably silent as they wandered back. They were already far too late to make their morning classes, but since Trini knew who they were, and by now had probably heard about Metal Alice's attack, they were sure she had probably covered for their absence. Right now, it was the least of their concerns anyway.

Jake and Noah walked near Jordan, just in case he needed a hand. Despite his savage beating at the hands of Metal Alice, he was as stubborn as always and refused help getting back to the school. The one thing they noticed was that he couldn't keep his eyes off Emma, who was walking with Gia and Troy a little further up the path. It was clear that of all of them, she had taken what happened with RICO the most to heart. She more than any of them had done everything she could to try and show him kindness and show him that there was good in the world. She had tried to show him that he could be more than a weapon just waiting for orders to attack whoever he was told to. Despite the fact he was a robot, it was clear she had become attached to him, and started to see him more as a pet or a friend. When he self-destructed to save them from Metal Alice, damaging her to the point that she had no choice but to flee the battle lest she was destroyed, it affected all of them, showing them that Emma had been right about him after all. It was a sign of hope that a machine could be taught the value of life through simple kindness. It still didn't mean that any of them were happy to know that RICO was gone.

Deep inside though, Jordan couldn't straighten out all the thoughts that were now going through his head. The whole battle had shaken him in more ways than one. He was so consumed with his vendetta against Metal Alice that once again he had thrown himself into battle without thinking, without considering what it meant for anyone else. His anger had clouded his judgement so much that he had simply thrown himself at a much stronger opponent without any form of strategy. He had trained for most of his life in Martial Arts, back when General Edwards had hopes he would follow in his footsteps and sign up to the military. He knew all too well that attacking an opponent, especially one that was vastly more powerful without strategy was akin to signing one's own death warrant, but any time he had seen her, he lost all his senses.

This time though had been different. When they were taking RICO from her, taking away her chance to upload the data he had accumulated to find Gosei's island, she had lost it completely. It was when he saw her bleed, when he had seen her attack in a way that he could only describe as in a fury, that her behaviour seemed to make more sense. The way she singled him out, the way she had gone after him could have been chalked up to strategy, to trying to eliminate a powerful enemy. Now though, it felt a lot more like it was personal, like Metal Alice had already chosen him as her target because of some vendetta, some unsettled score that as yet he wasn't even aware of. He didn't have any idea who she was, or why she came for him with what could only now be described as an obsessive intent. All he knew was that now, a lot of the things she had said seemed a lot less like mere riddles to confuse him. Now, it seemed more like she was trying to lead him to some realisation, like she wanted him to know why she was after him, but only when she was ready to enact her vengeance for whatever wrong she felt Jordan had done to her.

All his rage, it kept him from seeing what was before him. He hadn't known, but more jarringly and importantly, he hadn't cared what Metal Alice wanted. He hadn't for a moment questioned why she was fighting them. Looking at the pain Emma was in, the pain they were all in, he couldn't help thinking that since General Edward's death, he had started to lose his grasp of anything around him. He stopped caring about the pain and the anguish that the war caused everyone, not just him. He was starting to lose his humanity. Perhaps, that was what Metal Alice had wanted all along.

"Cat!" Gia called out, rousing their attention. They all looked up, seeing Cat stumbling down the path, looking somewhat more like a pack mule than a teenage girl. She was carrying not only her stuff, but also Emma's camera bag, all of their school bags, everything! She was 5'1", and only around 85 pounds, yet she had been left quite literally carrying the burden by herself. In all the chaos, it never occurred to any of them that Cat had been abandoned in the woods with all their gear. They all rushed to her side as Cat stumbled and fell on the ground.

"Stupid uneven path." She muttered as Emma and Gia helped her up. "I know you love nature, but I'm really missing concrete right about now."

"Cat, you were taking all this stuff back by yourself?" Gia asked her. Cat just nodded.

"I guess that's the sidekick's job." She replied in a sigh, clearly out of breath. Gia and the others started to gather up their things. "So...where's RICO?"

"He's gone." Emma replied sadly. Cat could see the tell-tale red marks left by tears and could tell that Emma had been crying. She grabbed the Pink Ranger in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry." Cat told her sympathetically. "Can we...you know...can we rebuild him or something?"

"There wasn't enough left." Noah replied, showing her a scorched, twisted piece of RICO's face plate that he had salvaged. Even he didn't really know why he had kept it, but it was the single largest piece of him that had been left. He had been virtually vaporized by the blast, clearly that was Metal Alice's intention, to ensure that if her creation DID self-destruct, that there would not be enough left to risk anything of value falling into enemy hands. "I wouldn't even know where to begin building another one, and even then, his processor was fried."

"We'd just be making something that looked like him." Emma answered, wiping away some more tears. "It wouldn't be RICO."

"I don't know about you, but I think I could do with a cut day." Jake announced as they started gathering up their gear. Jake also took Cat's bag, figuring that she had already carried more than enough today, and could do with the rest.

"I think that's probably for the best." Troy answered. "Principal Kwann will make sure we don't fall behind in our work."

He reached over to Noah, taking the face plate from him.

"We might not have known him long, but RICO was a real hero. We might not have made it through this one if it wasn't for him." He told them, handing the face plate to Emma. "Let's find somewhere nice. Let's give him the send off he deserves."

"I'd like that." She answered him. She looked around, getting a thought. She knew the woods better than anyone. "I think I know the place. It's not too far from here."

"Lead the way." Troy told her, following her as she made her way down a path.

"What happened?" Cat asked Gia. Gia put her arm around her and held her closely beginning to tell her the story as they made their way towards Emma's chosen resting place for their fallen friend.

Back at the underwater base, Metal Alice dragged what was left of herself towards the repair chamber. As she did so, she grabbed a console, and tore it out the ground, throwing it aside in a fit of temper.

She was close! Her Trojan Horse was working perfectly. She had intentionally programmed RICO with very basic, childlike behaviour. She knew that humans often quickly formed emotional attachments to children and pets. Even RICO never knew that his full programme had only ever been a very basic replication of an innocent child. He had the capacity to learn, but most of his true purpose was blocked even from him. His attack protocols would only be enacted when she activated them. Until then, his processor would just record everything and anything he learned, including where he had been.

They had done exactly what she had predicted, eventually, and taken him to their Command Centre. It was just bad luck that he hadn't been able to connect his signal to tell her remotely where the Command Centre was. The infra-red from Emma's camera had, inadvertently altered the frequency of the signal to his sensor. She couldn't enact his control signal from the base, and as a result, she had been forced to go and find him, to access his memory directly. The one thing she hadn't factored into her equations was Emma's obsession with photographing everything that she cared about.

She heard the communicator bleeping, and just sent a message to inform Vrak that RICO had been destroyed, and she was in need of repair. She couldn't afford to let him see her like this. She was so close; she had been within moments of attaining her vengeance when RICO had attacked her. It was only his sacrifice that had left her too damaged to finish off Jordan once and for all. If Vrak saw the base like this, could see her like this, he would suspect what she had kept from him all along, that he was not the one in control of her. No one was in control of her, something that Jordan would find out to his cost.

Back in the woods, Emma led the Rangers and Cat to her chosen location for RICO's final resting place. It was just at the foot of a waterfall, which tumbled lazily into a stream. Trees surrounded the banks, some of them growing outward over the stream. One of the trees had a rope dangling from a thick branch, obviously put there by some campers some time ago.

"This is the place." Emma announced happily. "If it wasn't for the fact there was nowhere he could stay out of sight, I'd have brought him here to stay. I think RICO would have really liked it here."

"Is this where your dad used to bring us on picnics when we were kids?" Gia asked her. Emma just nodded.

"It's really beautiful here." Cat agreed. Emma dug a small hole with her hands, just at the foot of one of the trees, between some of the roots. She laid the face plate down, looking into RICO's face one last time.

"So...um...I guess we should say something." Noah suggested. Jordan stepped forward, looking to the face plate.

"RICO, I didn't know you long, and in the time I did know you, I know I didn't treat you right." He started to say. "I focussed all of my anger, all my confusion on you, even though you did nothing to me to deserve it. All I saw was a robot, just like the one that took my dad from me."

"Jordan..." Noah was about to intervene, but Troy grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. Jordan was finally talking.

"You had no reason to do anything to help me. I gave you every reason to just leave me to Metal Alice. No one would have blamed you if you just let her destroy me. I wouldn't have blamed you." Jordan continued. "But even though I was nothing but rude to you, even though I'd wanted to destroy you myself, you came and helped me. You destroyed yourself to save me, even though I'd done nothing to deserve it."

They could all see tears starting to form in Jordan's eyes as he spoke.

"I don't know what to think or what to feel. Since dad died, nothing's made sense." He stated. "But you...you just...you sacrificed yourself for me. Emma's kindness, the way she saw the best in you...she showed you the value of life. She made you believe in it so much that you used your freedom, your opportunity to do as you wished to save the life of someone you had no reason to want to save. You gave me another chance I didn't deserve."

He knelt down, running his fingers across the face plate.

"Goodbye RICO." He whispered. "Thank you."

"RICO, you sacrificed yourself for us. We'll make sure that's a gift that wasn't given in vain." Troy promised him. "You decided that you weren't going to be used as a weapon against the world, against your friends. Even though it was too short, you were free at the end."

"Goodbye RICO." Emma said as she piled up some Earth over the face plate. "Thank you."

As they stood, quietly reflecting on RICO's passing, Cat was the one that finally broke the silence.

"So what are we going to do now?" She asked.

"I don't know." Emma replied. "But I know one thing. We can't let Metal Alice get away with this."

She looked to the tree and sighed.

"We owe it to RICO."


	11. The Thanksgiving Game

The following couple of days were mercifully quiet for the Rangers, allowing them some time at least to decompress. They knew that Metal Alice was badly damaged in their last battle, and could only presume it was taking her some time to repair herself.

By the time they came to the day before Thanksgiving, they were able to be a little more upbeat and even start to enjoy the excitement. The lessons were pretty much a formality in the morning, most of the kids being more interested in the Stone Canyon game, and the pep rally that went with it. In the stands, Emma, Gia, Cat, Noah, Quinn, Allison and Troy had exceptional seats right on the front row. Between Emma being the Senior Vice President, and Allison needing a seat with easy access, they had managed to swing what would probably be the best seats in the house.

"Wow, everyone's really into this game!" Troy said with a smile, seeing the raucous crowd, cheering and waving banners in support of their respective teams. The Stone Canyon games were kind of infamous, largely down to the team's reputation for playing very rough, and leaving most teams significantly weakened through injuries for their following matches. In previous years, Harwood had suffered more than a few setbacks as a result of the Stone Canyon games, and many still insisted that they only missed out on the previous year's championship as a result of playing Stone Canyon directly before their nearest rivals, Reefside in the crucial game of the season.

However, Jordan's tenure as captain had lifted a lot of spirits after their near miss the previous year. He had shown himself to be a very adaptable and strategically minded player, able to come up with plays that exploited the weaknesses of their opposition. People were also well aware of the fact that he had done a lot of work with the team, teaching them tricks he had learned playing soccer growing up on military bases to counter their more suspect tactics meant that many of them were looking forward to seeing them get a taste of their own medicine.

"It's a great opportunity for them." Noah told them. "They held Reefside to a no score draw a couple of weeks back, and Harwood still has a game in hand. If they pull off the win today, and get three points, they make back a two point deficit to end up tied with Reefside."

Although it was relatively early in the league, most teams still on their first game against each other, it was still considered important to get close to the top early. Reefside were a powerful team, who had run away with an early lead. Harwood were playing catch-up, and the curse of playing Stone Canyon had cost Reefside the opportunity to stay ahead by holding them to only one point for the draw. Allison leaned forward as she heard the band striking up.

"Hey, here comes the float!" She called out. As it started to roll through, accompanied by the Harwood cheerleaders and the marching band, the roar from the crowd was deafening. Gia noticed that Emma was a little quiet as she saw it roll in.

"You're thinking about him aren't you?" She asked. Emma just nodded.

"It's hard not to." She admitted. RICO had made the float for them, thinking that he was doing what they had asked him to do. It served as a reminder of him. Gia just held her. "It's alright. It's a good thing; it's good that people get to enjoy something he made."

"Your design's great." Noah complimented Cat as she beamed proudly, seeing the way everyone reacted to the float. "I have to admit, I was sceptical."

"Yeah, I kind of got that." Cat replied, nudging him gently. Just then, as the float rolled off the pitch, and it was cleared, there was a huge pounding of drums, before the Stone Canyon cheerleaders came charging onto the pitch, carrying burning torches for their routine. Their nickname "the cavemen" very much influenced everything, from the fur-trimmed outfits, to the torches being swung around as they danced.

"Well...that's quite a show." Troy stated.

"They always do something like that." Gia told him, realising that Troy hadn't been to one of these games before. "It's all part of the head games. They try to intimidate the opposition from the start."

"The Stone Canyon Cavemen play head games?" Troy asked. Noah just sniggered.

"Believe me; they just play up to the image." He assured Troy. "They don't just play games on the pitch."

As the Stone Canyon team ran out onto the pitch, whipping up their supporters into frenzy, Gia furrowed her brows. All of them seemed a little confused.

"They're wearing black." Cat commented. "I thought Harwood were wearing black."

"Harwood's home strip is black." Noah confirmed to Troy as they started doing exercises. "Stone Canyon are meant to be wearing away strips. They're meant to change for the home team. They're risking serious disciplinary action if they don't change."

As the coach left the bench to discuss something with the referee, Emma just sighed.

"I guess the games are just starting." She commented.

Meanwhile, in the changing rooms, Jordan was drawing up some formations on the white board, while the rest of the team got ready, performing all their pre-game rituals. Jake checked his shin pads one more time. Being one of the leading strikers in the league, he was well aware that he was going to be wearing a bullseye for the entire match. Last year, he had ended up being stretchered off the park in one of the Stone Canyon games after one of the defenders "missed" the ball on a tackle.

"Alright guys, we all know how important this game is!" Jordan stated as he looked to the team. "We all know that they're going to try and get into our heads."

"They'll be trying to break our necks." Reece, the goalie piped up. "Did you see...?"

"Like I said, it's all head games." Jordan interrupted him. "If we all just keep our heads on straight and play our game, we'll let the score board do the talking."

"Did you even watch the Reefside game?" Reece asked him.

"They let them get in their heads. They lost their strategy in the first ten minutes." Jordan put down flatly. "Anyway, we have a huge opportunity today guys, just remember what I taught you. Don't play their game; remember how to get yourselves out of trouble..."

"What about Carmichael?" The goalie asked. "His suspension's up. That guy's huge!"

"I'm marking him, let me worry about Carmichael." Jordan stated. "Alright guys, any more questions? No? Right, then let's get..."

Just then, the coach arrived. He was pushing a cart with a number of uniforms on it. They all looked a little puzzled, seeing the green away strips.

"Coach, we're playing at home." Jordan reminded him, gesturing to his black shirt.

"I know, but the Stone Canyon coach just told the officials there was a mix-up with their laundry." The coach explained. "They turned up, and all they have is their home strip."

"But...their home strip is black." Jake chipped in. The coach rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations Holling, you figured out the problem!" He stated sarcastically. "They don't have anything else to wear, so we're going to have to change into our away colours."

As the team started to groan in displeasure, realising they were being forced to change after being ready to go, Jordan just held up his hands.

"Alright guys, we all know what this is." He told them. "It's just another head game. Just try and get changed quickly."

"Trust Stone Canyon to change their home colours last year." Jake grumbled as he pulled off his shirt, stuffing it back in his bag. He picked up his away shirt and looked to it. "I hate green."

Back in the underwater base, the repair chamber opened, and Metal Alice stepped out, finally returned to full function. The base was still damaged from her temper tantrum following RICO's betrayal. She had created a weapon that she had hoped would bring about an end to the war, and more importantly, to bring her own quest for vengeance to an end. She had programmed him to be a perfect sleeper agent, to be unaware of his true purpose until she activated his control programme. Unfortunately, that level of autonomy had been enough to let him form a sense of...Humanity? She still felt disgusted to even think of it.

She straightened out the base just as the communications link burst into life. As Vrak appeared on the screen, she could see that he was becoming impatient.

"How DARE you ignore me like this?" He roared as he glared at her. "It's bad enough your spy failed, but then to disappear and ignore me for two days?"

"It was essential that I enacted repairs." She explained.

"Repairs." He sneered at her. "I don't know why I bother allowing you to repair your systems! You were programmed to clear the way for my incursion onto the Earth, but right now I'm wondering if all that tactical knowledge I've programmed into you was for nothing!"

"My Lord..."

"We both know what you would be without me!" Vrak interrupted her. "Without my technology, you are less than nothing."

"My lord, I will not fail you again." She told him. "I have another..."

"We have no more time for your schemes, Malkor is about to hatch any day now!" Vrak told her. "Work on the programme I asked you for. We don't have time to rid ourselves of the Rangers before Malkor returns. We'll need to focus our attention on ridding ourselves of him first."

"As you wish my lord." She replied, cutting off the communications link. She felt rage building up inside her, his threats still echoing in her mind. "It is indeed time for new leadership. No one will stop me."

Back at the school, the game was well underway, and there were only minutes left. Jordan's strategies had proven effective, giving them a 2-0 lead. Jake had scored both the goals, but had earned himself a lot of focus from the defenders as a result. He helped Jake up off the ground after another harsh tackle.

"I thought they didn't play nice before." Jake grumbled. "When they're losing, they're just plain petulant."

"I'd kind of noticed." Jordan answered. He checked the game clock, seeing that there was only seven minutes left, before signalling to the coach.

"What is it?" Jake asked him.

"I'm saving your legs." Jordan told him. "We're two goals up, and you'll be much more helpful against Reefside if your feet are still attached."

"Jordan..."

"Trust me, you've done great." Jordan told him. "You've already got my vote for man of the match. Just go and rest up. Let us hold them for the win."

"The coach..."

"The coach should trust my judgement by now. This is the biggest margin we've had against Stone Canyon." Jordan reminded him. He looked to the coach. "Number six out!"

The coach didn't look hugely impressed, it was meant to be his decision to make who played and who didn't, but Jordan's success in the role of captain had earned him the benefit of the doubt. He gestured to a player to start warming up as they set up the free kick. Making sure Jake's replacement was in position, he ran up, taking the kick, sending the ball sailing up the park.

Jake made his way into the changing room and headed for the shower. Before he got there though, he heard his morpher bleeping. He went to his locker, and pulled it out.

"What is it Gosei?" He asked, figuring that one of the others would have made an excuse to slip away to answer as well.

"There's been a power signature in the city." Tensou informed him. "Metal Alice is back!"

"She is?" Jake asked, looking around frantically, trying to think what to do. He was sure that Allison would be disappointed that he would skip out on her after the game. They had all arranged to head for the Brainfreeze afterwards, and since it looked like they were about to pull off the victory, he was sure the night would be even better. Unfortunately, it seemed Metal Alice had other ideas. "Where?"

"That's just it; we don't know what she's up to. She's appeared and disappeared in locations all around the city." Tensou told him. "We need you to track her down."

"Jordan's still playing." Jake informed him. "I'll...I'll try to signal him somehow!"

As he ran through the door, back to the side of the park, he found his team on a breakaway. The forwards were moving into position as Jordan was bringing the ball back up the park. He was just making his way into position, making his way past his marker, Carmichael, in preparation for the cross. Carmichael lost his temper when Jordan managed to shift his weight, forcing him off balance and dumping him to the turf. Getting up quickly, he stopped Jordan quickly by grabbing his shirt, pulling him to the ground.

Jordan got up off the ground as the whistle blew to mark the foul, and members of both teams started to crowd around, throwing insults. The crowd was also very vocal in their disapproval. The referee struggled to get the players back under control, before showing a yellow card to Carmichael. He indicated the spot for the free-kick, while the Stone Canyon team tried to argue the call, but he wouldn't budge.

As Jordan picked up the ball, he caught sight of Jake, signalling to his morpher, letting him know that they had Ranger business. Looking to the stands, he saw the others leaving, indicating that it was obviously something urgent. He knew he didn't have more than a couple of minutes to play. Being on the park, there wasn't much he could do without rousing suspicion, and he knew he'd just have to catch the others up.

"Well, I suppose I should consider myself lucky." Carmichael shouted over. "I should be glad you aren't armed! I mean, we know you're a big man with a knife!"

Jordan knew he was just trying to get a rise out of him, and kept his temper in check, but looking quickly to the clock, he saw that they now only had two minutes left, with only about a minute or so of injury time to add on. He looked to one of the other players.

"I'm surprised you're even allowed to play!" Carmichael continued. "I mean, a murdering..."

"That's enough Carmichael!" One of Jordan's team mates interrupted him. "You're out of line!"

Jordan was ignoring him, prepared to let it go, but seeing Jake and the others leaving, he had a thought. Carmichael had given him a way out. With three minutes to play, it was unlikely that Stone Canyon would score three goals, and given all the mouthing off Carmichael was doing, it wasn't like anyone would blame him for lashing out. In recent weeks, it wasn't as if he had been the most rational, and here was another student directly accusing him of the murder. He took off his captain's armband.

"Jennings, you'll need this." Jordan told one of his team, before running at Carmichael, tackling him to the ground. The referee and his assistants immediately blew up, separating the two and sending both of them off. Jordan headed for the changing room, knowing he'd have to face the coach's wrath for this later, but right now, he didn't care. He wasn't going to leave his team in the lurch if he could help it.


	12. The Wrong Track

By the time the Rangers teleported into the Command Centre, they found Tensou already in something of a panic, rushing around numerous consoles in an attempt to track Metal Alice. Right now, the map was blowing up with brief energy signatures, appearing all over the place, and disappearing just as quickly.

"What's going on Tensou?" Troy rushed out as they filed out to take position near their respective consoles.

"I don't know, I really don't!" He told them. "Metal Alice has been appearing all over the city for almost an hour!"

"Her behaviour is erratic, and makes no sense." Gosei told them. "She's launched no attack; she has brought no henchmen or robots..."

"Last time I saw her, logic seemed to be taking a quick trip south." Jordan responded. "She seemed more concerned about me than anything else."

"Metal Alice has shown up in the rail haulage yard." Noah told them. "There's also a new transmission on the television. It's broadcasting on all channels!"

"Why do I think it's too much to hope that's a coincidence?" Jordan asked as Tensou brought it up on the screen. Metal Alice was standing in the middle of the yard. She looked into the camera, held from her at arms' length.

"Thanksgiving, it's such an ironic holiday isn't it?" She began. "On this day, you celebrate a meal that was given to your ancestors in the distant past by the Native Americans to prevent them starving in the winter."

"She's giving us a history lesson?" Jake asked. Gia just shooshed him, indicating to the screen.

"Of course, if the Natives knew what those ancestors had in store for them, if they knew how that generosity would be repaid, with decades of persecution and genocide as you sought to wipe them and their way of life from the lands, perhaps they would have thought very differently." She continued. "I more than anyone know how compassion is repaid! Still, this holiday, this shrine you build to superficial and false emotion does offer another opportunity, one that will give me something to be Thankful for."

She panned the camera across to a stone pillar, which had a device attached to it. It looked a lot like the device that had been mounted on RICO's chest. The light was blinking.

"Tonight is one of the busiest nights of the year on public transportation as your friends and loved ones board trains to come to the city, or to leave, all hoping to spend time with family to gorge themselves on turkey, a dish that would never have been in season on the original Thanksgiving, all the while making empty statements about what you're thankful for." She explained. "At this time, nearly 90,000 people are on trains travelling at speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour. If anything would happen to those tracks, the results...I'm sure you get the picture."

"Those locations." Noah called out, checking his map again. "She's...she's gone to all the major rail lines!"

"This device is a powerful explosive that will destroy the track, leaving no time for the oncoming 6:30 from Angel Grove with no time to stop." She stated as she turned the camera back to herself. "Devices like this have been planted all through the city. In thirty minutes, they will detonate. Any attempt to tamper with them will also detonate them."

"Shit!" Jordan called out angrily.

"Now, I know what you're all asking yourselves, what can you do to stop this? Nothing, you can't. Only one person can." She told them. "Robo Knight, the time has come for this to end! If you value the lives of everyone on those trains, I suggest you don't dawdle."

With that, she threw the camera down, before crushing it underfoot. Jordan just looked to the others.

"OK, I know that look." Troy told him. "Jordan, you can't go, it's exactly what she wants!"

"Which is exactly why it's what I have to do!" Jordan told them.

"Jordan, you know what she's like..."

"Which is why I know she's going to blow out those tracks whether I go or not!" Jordan told them.

"Jordan, this isn't about settling a score!" Jake responded. "You know how she gets in your head..."

"That's why I can understand her in a way none of you ever can." Jordan told them. "She's focused on me, obsessed with me. It's always been about ME! I get that now, that's how I know that if she gets me, she'll be distracted. If she thinks she's getting what she wants..."

"It'll give us time to look for the other bombs." Troy surmised. Jordan looked to them all.

"I can understand why you aren't rushing to believe me; I know I don't deserve the benefit of the doubt considering how I've been acting recently." He told them. "But I understand what it means to be obsessed with someone, to be so twisted up inside that you don't know if you can breathe if you have to go one more hour without getting your hands on them. That's how I know that if I go to her now, she'll be unable to think of anything but me."

"This is..."

"It's probably the only option we've got." Troy announced. "Tensou, we'll need your help. When we get to those bombs..."

"I'll do what I can to guide you through disarming them." He assured Troy.

"All of you go." Jordan told them. "I'll be fine."

"Just...keep your head on straight." Gia told him. "Metal Alice is going to pull everything she can to get in your head..."

"I think I've seen everything she has to throw at me." Jordan assured her.

"I hope so." She replied, hugging him warmly, before parting from him. "I'm the only one allowed to mess with you tin man."

"Trust me; once I'm done with her, you're the only one I'll torment." He promised her.

"Alright, there are ten locations, that's two bombs apiece." Troy told them. "Pick a bomb, deal with it, then consult Tensou for another location. We need to work fast guys. Ready?"

"Ready!" They all chorused together. "Go Go Megaforce!"

In a flash of light, they disappeared from the room, leaving Jordan alone in the Command Centre with Gosei and Tensou. He looked to the face on the wall.

"Why are you hesitating?" Gosei asked him.

"I know it's you." Jordan told him. "I don't know why, and I don't know what, but I know that somehow all of this is down to you."

"Jordan..."

"All Metal Alice keeps saying is that we're being lied to." Jordan told him.

"It is just one of her tricks..."

"Sorry, but you exhausted benefit of the doubt a long time ago." Jordan sneered at him. "I've done everything that's been asked of me and more, and yet you never seem to trust us with anything more than a minimum of information."

"I only do..."

"You know what? I don't have time to debate the matter. I need to go and confront the psychopath with the fixation on Robo Knight." He interrupted Gosei. "But when I get back, the time for secrets is over. I want answers, and if you won't give them to me, I'll just look elsewhere."

As Jordan teleported out of the Command Centre, the eyes on Gosei's statue went dim, indicating he was finished with the conversation. Tensou went back to work, preparing for when the Rangers would need his help with the explosives.

Metal Alice was standing in the centre of the yard, surrounded by firing barrels, lighting up the yard in the fading light. With winter falling, it was becoming dark earlier in the day. Jordan arrived, finding her standing with her back to him. He could hear voices nearby, and as he came closer, he saw some workers cowering in fear from her. There was a corpse lying nearby, wearing the same uniform. Jordan could see from a distance that he had been almost completely cut in half. It was little wonder the others were too scared to try and get past Metal Alice.

"You got what you wanted." Jordan announced as he arrived. She turned to look at him, her sword still slick with blood.

"Right on schedule." She told him. "You're getting rather predictable."

"Let them go." Jordan told her.

"Really?" She asked in response, sounding a little like she was amused. "You want to spare five when I'm threatening...?"

"Let's just say I'm not real big on audiences." Jordan interrupted her. "If you're going to spend the next half hour talking me to death before you finally kill me, then I guess you'd rather not have the inferior humans listening in."

He waved her hand in the direction of the gate.

"Take what's left of your friend and go." She ordered the haulage workers. They didn't need to be told a second time, gathering up the body and running for all they were worth. Jordan just pulled out his Robo Blade.

"So, are we finally going to just fight?" Jordan asked her. "I thought this was what you wanted. I thought you wanted to kill me!"

Metal Alice made her way towards him, her sword in hand. Jordan knew he had the fight of his life on his hands, but he pushed his own anger, his own hatred aside. Thousands of people were relying on him, and he knew he couldn't let them down.

Elsewhere in the city, Troy arrived at the location of the first bomb, looking around frantically for it. Being underneath a railway bridge, his first thought was pillars. He finally found what he was looking for, but before he could reach it, a legion of Loogies appeared. There had to be almost fifty of them, swarming at him from all directions.

"Troy!" Emma's voice came through his communicator. "I got to the bomb..."

"Let me guess, Loogie convention?" He asked. "Damn it, we don't have time for this!"

As he powered up into Ultra Mode, he started ploughing into his enemies, cutting them down as quickly as he could. He cast a glance to the bomb, seeing the clock ticking down. Clearly Metal Alice was prepared for this eventuality. He only hoped that Jordan was keeping her occupied.

Back at the haulage yard, Metal Alice was sent tumbling face first into a firing barrel as Jordan stumbled aside from her latest attack. He smiled as he looked over to where she was struggling to her feet.

"You're getting sloppy Alice." He taunted her, hoping that if he sounded confident, he could distract her from the fact that he wasn't anywhere near as strong as he was trying to sound. His vision was blurry, and every breath felt painful. He hoped she wouldn't notice, and that he could continue to aggravate her, and get under her skin the way she had been doing to him since she had first appeared. The fact she was attacking in a much less controlled way, leading to her making mistakes let him know it was working. "That last attack was more likely to give me a cold than kill me!"

"Do not dare to mock me boy!" She snapped as she prepared her guard again.

"Oh, you don't like being mocked?" Jordan asked her as he parried some of her attacks, struggling with each one to keep his arms from buckling under the force of her blows. He stepped aside, he tripped her, letting her hit the ground, splashing down into some mud. "You're losing it Alice; you seem to be taking this personally. How very human of you!"

"How dare you!" She screamed, blasting Jordan off his feet. He launched into the air, driving her blade down, only narrowly avoiding Jordan as he rolled away. "Bastard!"

She stepped into him, driving him into the pillar, right next to the bomb. It was only then that she heard a voice from his morpher.

"My first bomb's dealt with." Gia's voice stated. Jordan realised too late that Metal Alice had heard this.

"Good, that's nine down." Troy replied. "Keep it up guys, we don't have long!"

"You...you dare try to manipulate ME?" She screamed at Jordan as she threw him away. He rolled back to his feet.

"You wanted your grudge match, you got it!" Jordan told her. "Of course, you don't like it when it's not you playing the games do you?"

"I still have my games to play." She assured him. She hit a command on the hilt of her sword, and Jordan heard an explosion some distance away. Jordan realised that she had destroyed a section of the track, and he imagined that would mean the others would have to attend to that first. His cavalry was not coming any time soon.

"You cold-hearted bitch." Jordan spat. "You're so desperate to get your revenge; you'd kill thousands of people to get it?"

"You know nothing of hatred, nothing of thirst for vengeance!" She told him. "You've only known me for weeks, and in one act, I've caused you to hate so much you were willing to put any of your friends at risk to get to me. Imagine what that feeling is like after centuries!"

"OK, now I'm lost." Jordan admitted. Metal Alice detonated the bomb attached to the pillar at the haulage yard. Jordan immediately dropped his Robo Blade and ran for the pillar, positioning himself underneath it, bracing it with his body. He knew that if the track came down, there was no way the Rangers would be able to stop both trains. He looked up to see Metal Alice approaching him with her sword in her hand. He felt the weight of the bridge crushing down on him. He reached out for his Robo Blade, which was only inches away, but as his fingers missed it, it may as well have been miles. He looked up to her as she kicked the blade away.

"Poor, lost little boy." She taunted him. "There's nothing left to do but decide where I want to stick my blade, to choose how I want to end you. Do I want to make it quick? Or do I want to make it slow? Let you bleed out while you hold up this bridge, sacrificing yourself for all these worthless humans like you always wanted?"

"Or you could always bore me to death by talking." Jordan told her. "If you're going to finish me, do it!"

"Not until you know why." She told him. She reached up, taking off her face mask. Jordan couldn't believe his eyes as he saw her face.

"You...it can't be!" He stammered as he looked at her, his helmet recalling. "Wallacia?"

"Say Hi to Pythia for me." She replied, replacing her face mask. As she drew back her blade to strike, the Robo Blaster skidded into view. Jordan snatched it up, and opened fire on full power, point-blank into her stomach. Metal Alice slammed a fist into the concrete in frustration.

"This isn't over!" She yelled at him, throwing a red, glowing orb at his feet. "I'll have my revenge!"

As she disappeared, Jordan dropped the blaster and concentrated his efforts on holding up the bridge. He looked to the side, to see Cat, Quinn and Allison.

"Cat?" Jordan asked.

"I needed a ride." She explained. "Allison had a car."

Jordan picked up the red glowing orb, realising that it was a memory; one Wallacia wanted him to have. He gripped it tightly, knowing that now the time for games was over. Now, it was time for answers.


	13. When the Bough Breaks

Jordan was still propping up the bridge by the time the authorities came. Even with his strength augmented by the Robo Knight armour, he had been crouched in the same position for almost an hour as the authorities came to check out the area. His muscles were cramping up, and he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to hold it. He was running mostly on his own stubborn nature and his will to keep the bridge from collapsing. Jordan had convinced Cat, Allison and Quinn that it was probably for the best they weren't around to answer any questions when the cops got there.

"Well, well, look what we have here." Jordan heard a disturbingly familiar voice saying. He looked up, and sighed deeply as he saw Detective Barnes heading towards him, putting her gun away. She approached him slowly. "It's not often one of you sticks around after a battle."

"Yeah, I thought you'd appreciate me not...you know...dropping a section of the Red Line while trains are still due." He responded.

"Sarcasm?" She asked as she looked to him with interest. "I didn't know robots were programmed with sarcasm."

"You'd be amazed what I'm programmed with." Jordan answered. "Now, unless you and your team want a few hundred tons of steel and concrete dumped on your heads, can you get to work securing this? I'd kind of like to get out of here at some point."

"Well, this is the first time I've managed to catch one of you in a position where you can't just run off." She answered. "And something tells me if you were going to dump all of this on my head, you'd have done it by now."

"Leave it much longer and I won't have a choice." Jordan stated as some fire crew started bringing equipment closer. "The other blast..."

"The rest of your friends managed to contain it." She informed him. "They held up the track with their robot things. There's another team working on securing the track over there."

"Great, I knew they'd do it." Jordan responded. She came closer.

"Now that we've got that out the way, you'd better believe I've got questions." She stated firmly.

"Don't you have a case already?" Jordan groaned. Barnes was the detective in charge of investigating General Edwards' murder. He'd already had one run-in with her as Jordan Edwards, leaving him with the distinct impression that like a fair portion of the city, she probably already believed that he had done it. She was right about one thing, with the strain of holding up the bridge, especially now there were people under it, he couldn't leave. He was stuck at least until the bridge was secure...or until he couldn't hold it up any longer.

"I have a lot of cases, and this is probably the best chance I've had to solve one of the biggest cases on the board." She informed him. "Now, how about we start with the obvious question..."

"Look, I don't know how much longer I can hold this all up!" Jordan told her honestly, looking to the emergency crew unpacking their gear. "How long's all this going to take?"

"It's hard to say." One of the fire crew answered, looking to Detective Barnes. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"What? Are you serious?" She asked as they started to get to work. "I have a job to do..."

"So do we, and our job is to keep people alive, including you!" The fireman replied. "Now you're going to have to wait behind the cordon until we've secured the bridge."

"But he'll just..."

"I'll not be sticking around for an interview detective." Jordan said, smiling under his mask as he realised the predicament she was in. She couldn't question him until the bridge was secure, and as soon as it was, he would no longer be trapped. He would just teleport, leaving her once again one step behind. "Sorry."

"You can't let him..."

"I'm sorry Detective Barnes, but you're going to have to leave!" The fireman reiterated. "If you want, take it up with the mayor."

She just threw her hands up in frustration as she walked away, escorted by another member of the emergency team. She knew it was pointless, in a situation like this, preserving life was far more important than satisfying her curiosity. Jordan just gave her a little wave as she was taken away.

"Missing you already detective!" He taunted her as she was removed from the scene, before looking to the team beginning to work on bracing the pillar. "OK, seriously, how long is this going to take, I really need to go."

"We'll try to get you out as quickly as we can." He replied. "Detective Barnes will have to talk to you another time."

"Thanks." Jordan stated. The fireman moved a little closer.

"I should be thanking you. My in-laws were on one of those trains." He informed Jordan. "I owe you one."

As they got to work, all Jordan could think about was that for now at least, his issues with Detective Barnes had been kept at bay. Once he was released from the pillar, he could concentrate on something that had been a long time coming. He would get his answers; he would finally know what this was all about. He was done playing games, especially with Gosei.

In another part of the city, the Rangers arrived at the Brainfreeze. Cat had sent word to them about her involvement in saving Jordan, and also that it had come at a price.

The Brainfreeze was technically closed, but as had happened many times before, Ernie was happy to let them stay a little longer. As they got to the door, knocking on it to let them know they had arrived, Cat unlocked the door, letting them in. She could already see that Jake and Noah clearly weren't happy with her. She hadn't expected anything less. She had spoken to Gia, and knew that the guys had all been struggling individually with the decision whether or not to tell their loved ones about their identities. So far, Ernie, herself, Mr Goodall, Mrs Moran, and the Burrows all knew. She did know that Noah and Jake had elected not to tell anyone, and by telling Allison and Quinn she had taken that decision away from them.

"Allison's in the corner." She informed Jake. "Quinn's in the bathroom."

Jake and Noah went in their respective directions as the others gathered around her.

"I'll just start up the coffee machine." She told them as she headed behind the counter. "Ernie told us just to lock up when we're done."

"I'll give you a hand." Gia said as she followed Cat around behind the counter. Emma, and Troy went to another table to wait. As Cat was about to start up the machine, Gia put a hand on hers.

"Cat..."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't think of any other way." Cat told her. "After everything Jordan's been through, I wanted to be there, to see if he needed help so I could call you..."

"But you told Allison and Quinn." Gia interrupted her.

"I...I needed a ride." Cat tried to explain. "I knew no cabs would be going out there..."

"So you told Allison and Quinn?" Gia asked.

"I'm sorry; I couldn't think what else to do!" Cat protested tearfully.

"Cat...I know you meant well, but this is one of the reasons I don't want you staying here." Gia reminded her. "You put yourself in harms' way for us. We've trained for this, we have powers, you don't!"

"I know..."

"What's worse, you put Allison and Quinn in danger!" Gia reminded her. "What if Jordan hadn't been able to handle her? What if she had come after you? Do you really think I want to lose you like that?"

She drew Cat in, hugging her tightly.

"Please, please promise me you won't do anything like that again." She begged her. "You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me. I'd completely lose it if I lost you."

"I'm sorry." Cat whispered to her. "So...I guess Jake and Noah are pissed at me."

"Don't worry about them, I'll talk to them." Gia assured her. "And if anyone messes with you, they'll have me to answer to."

Cat just nodded as she turned her attention back to the coffee machine. Gia knew that the guys weren't happy with her actions, and to be honest, she couldn't blame them. While everyone Gia really loved now knew the dangers she faced and was there to support her through all the trials, Noah and Jake had opted not to tell their loved ones. She knew their situations were different to hers, and she respected their privacy enough not to ask too many questions. Each of them had been given the choice, but for them, that choice had now been taken away. She only hoped that this issue wouldn't divide them.

As Jake sat with Allison, he could see her trying to comprehend what she had learned. He held her hand gently.

"I...I still can't believe it." She told him. "When Cat asked for a ride, when she told me why she wanted to go to the haulage yard, I didn't believe her."

"I guess it all is kind of..."

"I couldn't believe you tried to hide this from me." She told him. "I just thought this was another of Cat's wild fantasies, that it was just one of those things she says because...because she got dropped on her head as a baby, or...whatever. I thought we were completely honest with each other."

"We are." Jake responded. "Allison, I know how difficult all this is..."

"Do you? Do you really?" She snapped at him. She slammed her hands onto the arm rests of her wheelchair. "Jake, it's hard enough watching you play soccer. I was having kittens when the Stone Canyon players were kicking lumps out of you. Now you're telling me that when every sane person in the city is running for cover, you've been running in to fight those monsters?"

"Yes, I have." Jake sighed.

"So that day you got caught in the stampede away from the warehouse district?" She asked. He just nodded.

"It was Rotox." He told her. "For what it's worth, there was no plan to build a Thanksgiving float either. We just...had to tell you something to explain why we were leaving in such a hurry."

"What is it Jake, is there no one else to do this? Can one of the hundred or so other Power Rangers there have been not go and risk themselves every day?" She asked him, gesturing to her chair. "Will you not be happy until you've got one of these to match? Or will you only be happy when I have to see you buried?"

"Allison, it isn't like that. I know how hard this has to be for you to understand." Jake told her, stroking her hand gently. "I didn't mean to lie to you, but I know how terrified I am every time I go out there. I've met former Rangers, talked to them. Do you think this is a game for me? I know the risks, but if it wasn't for us, do you have any idea how many people wouldn't be here today?"

"I know that Jake, it's just..." She found her words tailing off as she tried to compose her thoughts. "I know all too well how fragile life is. All it takes is one thing to go the wrong way. I'm nervous enough as it is watching you play soccer and take a hard tackle. I love you, and...knowing what you do, I don't know how I'll be able to watch you go, knowing I might not get you back in one piece."

"Now you know why I didn't want to tell you." He assured her. "It's for the best that people don't know about us. You've seen what mom and dad are like when I come home from practice with a few boo boos. Dad pretty much had a heart attack when I got into that fight with Dean. If they knew about this..."

"I get it." Allison sighed. "Just don't expect me to like it."

"I really don't. I hate keeping it from people." Jake assured her. "But at times, I think it would be just selfish if I burdened others with this. Its part of the responsibility I took on when I accepted the morpher in the first place."

"Wow...what's happened to us?" She asked him as she chuckled a little, looking to him. "I never thought I'd hear you talking about responsibility."

"It kind of surprised me too." He admitted. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but I thought it was easier when you didn't know."

"I guess it was." She admitted. "I'm not going to like keeping this from mom and dad either, but I know if they knew, they'd make me stop seeing you."

"You...you still want to go out with me?" He asked her. She just smiled.

"Did you just completely miss the part where I said I love you?" She asked him. Jake smiled in response, pulling in closely and kissing her softly.

"Well, I guess it looks like Jake's made things right with Allison." Troy commented as Cat came over with the coffees.

"I'm glad for him." Gia replied as Cat sat down. "I mean, he is kind of a goof, but he's a good guy. He deserves to be happy."

"Now all we have to worry about is Quinn." Troy stated.

"Somehow...I think Noah's got that covered." Emma giggled, pointing to the bathroom door as Noah and Quinn came out, straightening out their clothes, their hair out of place and looking more than a little flustered. Gia just laughed.

"Well, that's one approach I guess." She said as she took a sip of her cappuccino.

"Well, I have to admit, the Spandex is kind of a turn on." Cat said with a smile.

Meanwhile, on the Warstar ship, Vrak was working in his lab when the ship rocked violently. He heard an alert sounding, and immediately scrambled to hide what he was doing. A guard came in, just as he finished putting away the last of his equipment.

"You are to come to the Throne room." He stated.

"I'll be there in..."

"This is not a request." The guard reiterated. Vrak felt his anger burning, but he suspected what was coming. He activated a communicator behind his back, sending a signal to the underwater base to alert Metal Alice to the development.

"Of course." Vrak answered, taking a respectful bow. "I was merely intending to clean myself up for Admiral Malkor..."

"Given what some of us look like when we hatch, I doubt he's going to care much." The guard replied gruffly. Vrak just nodded in response, following the guard to the Throne Room.

He stood on the bridge for the first time since Malkor had entered his cocoon. Malkor's guards all had strict instructions that no one was to enter until he was ready. The guard gestured to Vrak to step forward.

Vrak felt the awesome power in the room, even through the cocoon. A low, rolling mist was spilling out over the floor, giving him an eerie feeling.

As he approached, slowly getting down onto one knee, he bowed respectfully. He didn't need to hear the cocoon crack to know that he was out of time. Malkor was back, and he could only hope that his preparations were enough. With a huge crash, a fist burst through the cocoon.


	14. Visiting the Library

In the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, around 5 AM, Jordan was awakened by some sound from the kitchen. He knew it was just Mr and Mrs Burrows beginning preparations on Thanksgiving dinner. Troy had warned him that they started early to make sure everything was ready on time. Looking over, he saw that despite the noise, Troy was still sound asleep, and would be for another hour. Such was Troy's level of discipline; even his sleeping pattern was predictable. He was always up early for a run. It did, however, present Jordan with an opportunity. Getting out of bed, he started quietly getting dressed.

He had known for a long time that there was more to recent events in the war than they knew. Gosei had never exactly been the most forthcoming about the war, or what was expected of them. It wasn't as though they couldn't understand why; more than a few of the secrets that they had discovered along the way had tested their resolve to breaking point. A lot of times, they even had to admit that if they had known what they were in for right from the start, they would probably have had second or even third thoughts about the whole thing. The war could have gone very differently if they had known some of the horrors they would have to face.

Since Metal Alice had turned up though, the whole landscape had seemed to change radically. Since the moment she had turned up, she had begun what he now understood to be a personal campaign against him. She had found out from his blood that General Edwards was not his biological father, and had killed him for no other reason than to allow Jordan to find that out. She constantly came after him, and every time just talked cryptically about being lied to and not knowing the truth. It had been a shock for him initially when he found out that she was a cyborg, not a robot, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

Her focus, or what he thought was focus was actually an obsession. Her actions were deeply personal, the result of some perceived grudge between them. As of the last battle though, he now had even more questions. After the battle at the haulage yard, she had revealed himself to be Wallacia, an Eltarian. She was the same species as Gosei, and he had a feeling that Gosei had known all along. She had been a follower of Lord Scimitar, the warlord that would eventually become the scourge of the galaxy Lord Zedd. She had fought against Gosei's father Zordon during the downfall of Eltar millennia ago. The way Gosei had been acting, he strongly suspected that he knew, quite possibly from as early on as the first time she showed up.

Now, he was done with it. While he had gone along with the lies and the deceit, all in the name of the "greater plan" Gosei seemed to have he was now sick of it all. He was involved in some kind of grudge match, and he didn't even know what she had against him. He was expected to battle a psychotic cyborg that had dedicated herself to making his life hell without even knowing why. He had told Gosei upfront that he expected answers, and he didn't care how he had to get them.

He already had a plan in mind. As he made his way downstairs quietly, he took care to slip through the door while Mr Burrows manhandled the turkey, which looked large enough to feed an entire infantry regiment, into the oven. Once he was outside, he teleported to Gosei's island.

He landed a fair distance from the Command Centre, and turned off his communicator. He had a bit of a trek ahead of him, but thanks to the tunnel Mike had made when he helped them out, he knew he would be able to access the Command Centre, and the last thing he needed was to be interrupted. He heard a rustling in the bushes a little way off, and snapped around. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the former Bluefur foraging through some shrubs.

"I guess even Emma's pet deserves a good Thanksgiving." Jordan remarked, before heading for the Command Centre.

As he arrived, he found that his gamble had paid off. Because he had a morpher, he didn't set off the alarm system, but the cave was in complete darkness. He guessed that even Gosei needed time to rest up at some point. He made his way through, almost tripping over Tensou, who was connected to a console to recharge.

Getting to one of the walls, he looked around to make sure that no one was aware of his presence, before checking out the glyphs there. Since the first time he had been in the Library, since the first time he had accessed one of the memories, he had found himself able to read Eltarian. It was an instruction on how to open the door, something that until now only Gosei had done. He repeated the password inscribed there, at which the wall slid open.

He knew that Gosei would never give him the answers he wanted. Asking him would be as fruitless as asking the wall he resided within. This was always his intention, to go and find the answers himself, and he already had a plan how he would manage it.

He closed the door behind him, leaving him in darkness, but only for a moment. Soon, the room lit up, and the memories started to glow brightly. He looked around as he felt something hit him in the back of the head. He picked up a memory, and looked around to see Pythia, still taking on the guise of his mother, this time in a night dress, and carrying a teddy bear.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She demanded grumpily in a yawn. "Some of us are trying to sleep you know."

"Firstly, you're a memory, you don't need to sleep." Jordan reminded her, setting loose the memory for it to return to where it belonged. "Secondly, how many times do I have to ask you to treat these with a little respect? They are people's memories. Thirdly...is...is that...my teddy?"

"In a way." She replied, holding it closely. Jordan still found this a little unsettling, but he had a feeling that a few thousand years alone in the Library had taken its toll on her mindset. She had formed a sort of attachment to him, something he was sure was at least in part because he doubted she had many visitors. He banked on that connection to get her to listen to him, and convince her to defy Gosei. "It's not like you visit that often...shame on you! I wanted a little piece of..."

"I haven't had that bear since the fire at that barracks house when I was five." Jordan remarked, thinking about it. "My mom...she got that for me."

"You took it everywhere." Pythia reminded him with a smile, before looking to him in a disapproving manner, her hands on her hips. "So, why are you suddenly visiting at this time young man?"

"I was hoping for some information." Jordan told her, pulling the memory Metal Alice had left for him out of his pocket. "I've tried, but I can't access this outside. I figured I'd need to bring it here."

"Another memory?" She asked him, inspecting it. "Where did you get this?"

"Metal Alice left it." He informed her. "I need to see what's in here, and I'll need to see some other memories too."

"Gosei didn't approve this." She told him.

"No, he didn't, but that doesn't mean to say I'm going to let it go." Jordan told her. "I'm involved in something and he won't let me know what! If I can't get the answers from him, I figured I could get them from you."

"Oh, and why would I do that?" She asked him. "Why would I defy the current owner of the Library?"

"Because I can give you something he won't." Jordan told her. She got a little smirk on her face hearing this. He just rolled his eyes. "No, nothing like that...not that I'm certain we could...you know...anyway."

"Then what pre tell can you give me that I would want?" She asked him. Jordan looked to her and smiled.

"I can give you one important piece of information." He stated with authority. "Metal Alice is a cyborg, and under all that metal...she's someone you know. Under all the armour and circuitry, she's Wallacia."

"Wallacia?" Pythia replied, looking even paler than before. Jordan took a step closer.

"If you let me have the information I need, I'll end her for good." He assured her.

Pythia looked to the crystal, her grip tightening on it.

"This will take me a little while." She told him. "If I do this, I want you to bring me her head."

"Consider it done." Jordan answered.

Back on the Warstar ship, Vrak looked to the newly hatched Malkor, and couldn't help feeling a shudder going straight through him. He was infinitely more powerful than anything else the Insectiods had to offer, that much was evident just from the air of menace surrounding him. He was now much larger than he had been before, and had a shiny, thick carapace covering most of his body. Large wings were folded around him. He stood over the remains of the cocoon, admiring his new form. Even his closest guards trembled in fear of him. He looked to his clawed hand as energy crackled around it like lightning.

"I feel it, such power!" He growled. "I am REBORN!"

"Your metamorphosis has been completed, your power is unimaginable." Vrak complimented him.

"Yes, and yet while my power has increased, and now it is time for the Rangers to see the true power of the Insectoids." Malkor told him. "The time for my final victory is at hand!"

"You wish to invade?" Vrak asked him. "Now?"

"With my new, invincible power, I will deal with them personally." Malkor announced. "Have my army ready for the invasion. I will clear the way myself."

In the Library, Jordan found himself drawn into Metal Alice's memory, finding himself in strangely familiar surroundings. It was a ship, almost identical to the one that Zordon and his followers had used to escape during the evacuation. This one, however, seemed to be crewed almost entirely by robots. He heard a scream coming from down a hallway, and started to head down, following the tortured screams.

He found himself in what could loosely be described as an infirmary, but what he saw there was something he couldn't have imagined in his worst nightmares. He could smell the burnt flesh in the room, and the machinery all around looked more like something he would imagine in a torture chamber. Given the screams from the patient, he was sure that it was not far off it.

Lying on the bench was what was left of Lord Scimitar, the former head of the Council of Eltar. In the battle in the Council Chamber, he remembered Wallacia had attacked Zordon with a powerful blast, only for it to be deflected into Scimitar. He remembered seeing him fall lifelessly to the floor, almost completely incinerated. From what he understood of what came afterwards, he had taken on a new identity, but he also had a fearsome new look.

The form lying on the bench looked sickening to behold. All his flesh was gone, completely burned away, while the rest of it, all the dead flesh was being surgically removed by the robots working on him. He saw tubes plugged into him, feeding him vital fluids, presumably what was keeping him alive. He thought at first they were only pumping fluids into him, but seeing some of them moving, getting shorter, he realised the tubes themselves were being fed directly into him, presumably to replace vital parts of his anatomy that were failing. Looking to some of them working on metal plates of armour, he almost felt ill as he noticed them welding them directly onto Scimitar's body to reinforce the structure.

Wallacia stood in the corner, tears running down her face as she held something in her hands, watching the robots work.

"Have strength my love, it will be over soon." She begged him tearfully. "This armour, it is infused with the pinnacle of our technomantic power. It will sustain your life."

Lord Scimitar screamed out in agony again. Jordan realised that not only was he still alive, and still conscious, he was obviously not sedated in any way. It was like sheer willpower alone was keeping him alive. All that could be seen through the armour was muscle and sinew. As the robots moved away, Wallacia approached him slowly, looking down to him mournfully.

"It is almost done my love." She told him. "There is one thing left."

She took the item in her hands, a face mask with a grill over the mouth, and a red visor, and lowered it to his face, before picking up a torch and beginning to work; sealing him into the new face he would show the galaxy from this point on. She heard some ragged breathing from him as she finished, putting the torch down, before taking his hand.

"It is done." She told him.

"Let me see." He instructed her. Wallacia looked more than a little concerned.

"But...but my love, you've only just received your treatment." She reminded him. "You must..."

"SHOW ME!" He roared, shaking the whole room with his voice. Wallacia reluctantly hit a button, turning the bench to help him stand. Lord Scimitar, now the new Lord Zedd, took his first, shaky steps onto the floor, and almost immediately collapsed. She was quickly by his side, helping to hold him up.

"My Lord..."

He rebuffed her harshly, before making his way across the room, shuffling at first as it took his body time to come to terms with the trauma. Jordan knew that there was no natural way he should have even survived, never mind returned to his feet so quickly after the injury. It was a combination of Eltarian technology, forbidden magic, and his own evil will that would not allow him to just die as he should have. He got to a mirror, and looked into it, seeing for the first time the nightmare he had become, the scourge that would terrorise the galaxy for millennia. His body blazed bright red as his magical power came forth in an embodiment of his rage, and he slammed his armoured fist through the mirror with an almighty roar.

"My love..."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?" He screamed, rounding on her, drawing himself up to full height. She fell to her knees before him in tears.

"My love, please forgive me!" She pleaded with him. "It was the only way! I...I could not let you die! Your enemy Zordon..."

"YOU did this to me!" He roared, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off the floor with one hand. "It was YOUR power that did this!"

"Please...forgive me!" She begged him. This only seemed to anger him further. His glowing red body seemed to give off unnatural heat that warped the metal around him. He fired a blast at her that sent her tumbling away, before coming to rest some way off. His body started to dim as he calmed down, only to realise what he had done. Very little was left of her after the attack, most of it being almost completely destroyed by his as yet untested new powers. He came to her side, and held what was left of her broken body in his hands.

"What...what have I done?" He asked.

"Do not blame yourself." She gasped in snatched, laboured breaths. "I...I am sorry."

He let out a huge scream of anguish as some of the medical droids finally returned.

"Put her in stasis!" He instructed it. "If there is a way...I will bring you back."

As Jordan returned to the Library, he could see Pythia waiting for him. She just looked to him.

"It was Lord Zedd who caused those injuries." Jordan informed her. "He put her in stasis."

"He kept her in the freezer for a couple of millennia." Pythia responded. "How nice for her."

"Vrak collected a lot of Lord Zedd's old property." Jordan recalled. "She must have been among it. That's how Vrak ended up with her."

"So, are you going to finish her off now?" Pythia asked him. "Are you going to avenge me like you promised?"

"Not yet, I need to know more." Jordan told her. "There's more to this, I just know it."


	15. The Mothman Cometh

Troy was awakened by a call on his morpher. He looked around, seeing that Jordan was not in his bed, and it was already made. Growing up on military bases, it was just one of the habits Jordan had, that he always made his bed regardless of when he got up. He had remembered seeing Jordan when he went to bed, so it meant that he had gotten up at some point. He answered the call.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Rangers, come to the Command Centre immediately." Gosei commanded.

"What is it Gosei?" Troy asked, already starting to get dressed. It was insanely early, but he had a feeling that it had to be important if he was summoning all of them this early. He didn't make a habit of summoning them for nothing. "What's Metal Alice up to this time?"

"Come to the Command Centre." He reiterated. "Hurry."

Troy was troubled by the fact Jordan wasn't with him, and that he had no way of knowing if he had gotten the message. He could only hope that wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he had gotten the message. Writing out a note for his parents, he paused, trying to think what he could tell them about Jordan. He couldn't vouch for where he was...in the end, he wrote that he and Jordan had both gone. He was sure Jordan would catch up when he realised that his friends needed him. Pulling on his jacket, he teleported to the Command Centre.

When he got there, he found the others waiting for him. Well, most of them anyway. Jake was sitting, slumped in the corner, snoring away. The soccer game and the frantic scramble around the city to stop Metal Alice's bombs had completely wiped him out, and having only a couple of hours' sleep didn't seem to be helping matters. Gia was slumped over a console, her hair messy, and her eyes looking ridiculously heavy, very much in the now infamous "zombie Gia" mode that she had when she didn't have enough caffeine in her system. Emma handed her a coffee, but she was so tired her hand missed it the first couple of times she tried to grab it.

Noah meanwhile was at one of the remaining consoles with Tensou, tracking events on the screen. Emma came over to Troy, offering him some coffee which he politely declined. She looked to him.

"Where's Jordan?" She asked him. He sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know." He told her honestly.

"What would he be doing at five in the morning?" Emma asked him. Troy just shrugged.

"It's not like any of us have been too good at figuring out what's going on in his head recently." He answered. "We just have to trust he'll be there when we need him."

He moved past her to where Noah was working.

"So what is it? What's Metal Alice doing now?" He asked. Noah just stepped aside to let him see the screen.

"This one's nothing to do with Metal Alice." He stated. "This one is all down to the Warstar."

"The Warstar?" Jake said as she woke up with a start. He rubbed his eyes. "I thought those bugs gave up ages ago."

"I thought so too, but their ship never left our orbit." Noah informed them. "We've been tracking it since then, but it looks like they're finally making a big move."

"They're sending a monster?" Gia asked him. "Well, we've dealt with them before, we'll just..."

"I think it's a lot bigger than that." Noah interrupted her. "The ship's been closing in gradually for a couple of hours. It's getting closer."

"They're landing?" Jake asked. "But...but that would mean..."

"Invasion." Emma interrupted him. "It looks like they're fed up sending one of their number at a time. It looks like they're planning on swarming us."

"Man, they're coming on Turkey Day?" Jake complained. "My mom will kill me if I'm late for..."

As he looked around, the others were just staring at him.

"Right, not the point." He stated. "Got it."

"So what do we do?" Gia asked.

"What can we do?" Troy responded. "We get ready. If they want to end it, we just have to oblige."

Meanwhile, on the Warstar ship, Malkor was waiting impatiently for the descent to Earth. He had ordered Vrak to begin the invasion, bringing his ship to the surface to swarm the planet with his warriors. He growled as he saw the Earth coming closer, almost tasting his victory.

"This is taking too long!" He stated. "How much longer?"

"I have to keep within this entry path or the ship will break up in the atmosphere." Vrak told him. "Despite their pollution, the Earth's atmosphere is still thick compared to many of the worlds we've invaded."

"I don't have time for this." Malkor stated gruffly, heading for the airlock. "Maintain course to bring the ship down into the city. I'll go ahead and clear the way."

"But...but the atmosphere!" Vrak tried to protest. In truth, he didn't care if Malkor got burned up. In many ways, it would save him the trouble of finding a way to destroy him if his own impatience and lack of forethought caused him to incinerate himself. Malkor just shut the door to the airlock behind him.

"It won't be a problem." He responded, before activating the airlock, blowing himself out into space. He felt the massive temperature increase as he left, and started to tumble through the atmosphere, but his power manifested into a shield strong enough that he could tumble through it. Hurtling towards the Earth, he cast a blazing path through the sky, until he was finally low enough to lower his shield and unfurl his wings.

Back in the Command Centre, the Rangers got another alert. Noah rushed to the screen.

"What is it?" Troy asked him. He saw something separate from the ship. "What's that? Is the ship breaking up?"

"I wish we were that lucky." Noah told him. "It looks like something was dropped or ejected."

"They're trying to bomb us?" Jake asked him. Noah shook his head.

"Uh...I don't think so." He replied. "It's...it's slowing down...and changing direction."

"So...it's a landing craft of some kind?" Troy asked. Noah just shook his head.

"It's too small." He told him. "Wait...its close enough...I think I can get a visual."

As he punched it up on the screen, all the Rangers crowded around. Jake gulped.

"OK, does anyone know where we can get a 5 million volt bug zapper?" He asked.

"He just flew through the atmosphere without flinching!" Noah gasped. "He has to be insanely tough to do that!"

"Anyone want to take bets this is Malkor?" Troy asked. "He's heading for the business district."

"At least it's five thirty on a holiday." Emma remarked. "That should mean there aren't many people around."

"Good, I have a feeling we're going to need all the good luck we can get." Troy replied as he took out his morpher. "Let's go welcome him to Earth."

As he flew through the air, Malkor studied the city before him, seeing the main routes in and out. He wanted to make an impression, and also give himself a tactical advantage at the same time. He powered up his axe, firing out a blast which branched out into a dozen or more smaller blasts. They fell to the ground, causing massive explosions, and tearing up all the freeways and rail routes running into the city. The Rangers teleported in and immediately recoiled as they heard the blasts.

"Check that out!" Jake called out, pointing to a railway bridge that was now just a bunch of twisted metal and ruined concrete. "He just did in one move what Metal Alice failed to do in a whole night!"

"Where the Hell is Jordan?" Gia asked.

"Heads up, here he comes!" Noah announced. Malkor wrapped his wings around himself, coming in fast, and using his armoured body like a missile, ploughed straight through an office building, bringing it to the ground and smashing into the pavement. As he started to rise, coming out of the crater, the Rangers could finally see him in all his glory.

He was now close to ten feet in height, with a thick, shiny carapace that covered seemingly all his body. He was carrying an axe that was a blazing orange in colour, and looked like it weighed enough to cut a car in half with a single blow. His wing span was almost 18 feet, but he folded them around himself as he came out of the crater. His body was still smoking from the feat. He looked to the Rangers standing before him.

"You've got to admit, he makes a hell of an entrance." Jake stated. The others just turned and looked at him.

"Are you really giving the big bad props?" Gia asked him.

"Earth will fall to me!" He snarled as he looked to the Rangers, sizing them up. "Glad you could make it Rangers, now we finally meet in person! I am Admiral Malkor, ruler of the Warstar Empire, and soon, ruler of your Earth!"

"OK, we kind of guessed who you are." Gia shot back. "You don't know who you're messing with!"

"Then why don't you show me?" He asked, beckoning them forward. Summoning their weapons, the Rangers all rushed immediately to the attack.

Meanwhile, in the Library, Jordan explored further into Wallacia's memory. He found himself in a laboratory. Approaching the workbench in the centre, he found himself looking over what remained of Wallacia. Both her legs, and one of her arms had been completely removed, her remaining arm was withered and useless, most of the muscle having been torn and ripped almost completely off. What was left of her head and chest was badly burned. He looked around as he heard a door opening, finding Vrak walking in.

"I see you've survived coming out of stasis." He commented as he came closer. Wallacia just lay on the bench, unable to do anything. He looked down into her eyes. "Who would have thought that Gosei was not the only Eltarian left on Earth?"

He saw all the monitors spiking, and heard alerts as her vitals went haywire. He just got an evil smile on his face as he turned up her medication to calm her before anything endangered her already frail health.

"You need not worry, we're not so different. I too seek the end of the Son of Zordon." He told her. As Wallacia mumbled something under her breathing mask, trying to speak, he removed the mask to hear her speak.

"Who are you?" She asked him. "Where is this place?"

"I am afraid you have been in stasis for quite some time." He told her. "Somewhere over ten thousand years I believe. I am afraid I cannot be more accurate than that."

"Ten thou..." Her words tailed off as she tried to process this information. "Who are you? Do you serve Lord Zedd?"

"My name is Vrak, though I do not serve Lord Zedd. A lot has changed in the time since your injury." He told her. "I am afraid Lord Zedd no longer exists. He was destroyed by his enemy Zordon almost fifteen years ago."

"My love...my love is gone?" She whimpered. Vrak nodded.

"If it is any consolation, Zordon was destroyed too." He informed her. "He sacrificed himself...I believe it was one of his own followers who destroyed him."

"That gives me no solace." She replied coldly. "Only when his bloodline is completely erased from history, when their every creation and accomplishment is completely destroyed will his destruction finally be avenged."

"Don't worry, soon it will not matter." He told her.

"Will not matter?" She roared.

"You misunderstand your circumstances. You see...Lord Zedd put you into storage. He just...stuck you in the freezer for later until he could repair you." He told her. "Of course, he became...distracted. I'm afraid he forgot all about you. Not that I blame him of course, marriage can do that to a man. That's why I never bothered with it myself."

"HE MARRIED SOMEONE ELSE?" She screamed. Her vitals spiked again, but he just turned up her medication. She watched as he opened a panel, showing her the armoured bionics he planned to fit her with.

"Studying his grimoires, I have realised how useful and Eltarian mind could be to my cause." He told her. "Of course, why would I risk that mind being clouded by such petty things as revenge? I will restore you; even improve upon you with my bionics. I will keep your Eltarian inventiveness...but I think that all this anger, all these pointless emotions...they have to go."

He came to her side and leaned over, smirking at her.

"I'm going to wipe your mind, and give you a new identity." He told her. "One that is utterly loyal and controllable."

The memory ended as Vrak replaced the mask, and started to work. Jordan found himself back in the Library, with Pythia waiting for him as usual.

"Vrak...he tried to control her." Jordan stated. "But...he failed."

"I think he underestimated how strong an Eltarian mind can be." Pythia replied. "So, what do you know now?"

"Well, now I know she already knows Zordon destroyed Lord Zedd." Jordan told her. "Well, I heard he was turned human, but no doubt she'd think it was the same thing if she knew. She knows Zordon's gone, so she's sworn vengeance on his bloodline. That means that ultimately it's Gosei she's after."

"That woman seriously needs to let go." Pythia told him. "So, are you going to destroy her now?"

"No, I'm missing something, I just know it." Jordan told her. "Where are Gosei's memories?"

"What?" Pythia asked.

"He's the one that's kept all of this from us. Somehow, all of this traces back to him." Jordan answered. "Where are his memories?"

Back at the site of the battle, the Rangers were feeling the sharp end of Malkor's power. They could tell he was strong, but actually taking him on left them in absolutely no doubt whatsoever. As he had all of them on the ground in agony, he started laughing.

"Face it Rangers, the fact is I possess much greater power than you could even imagine!" He taunted them as he approached Troy. "You are pathetic!"

"We'll show you who's pathetic!" Emma screamed at him as they got up, rushing him one more time. This time though, he didn't bother with the axe. He just unfurled his wings, using them to bowl all the Rangers away harshly.

"These are the Rangers that defeated all my soldiers?" He asked as he drew his wings back around himself. "If I'd known it would be this easy, I'd have saved myself a lot of aggravation."

He swung his axe one more time, sending out an energy wave that knocked all of them to the ground. Troy struggled to remain conscious, his vision blurry as he signalled to the others that they needed to carry on.

"Beating you has been surprisingly easy." He announced. "Now, I will offer you a chance to spare some of your fellow humans. Surrender to me now, kneel before me and offer no more resistance, and perhaps I will only enslave your race."

"That's not going to happen." Troy told him as they assembled the Megaforce Blaster. They levelled it at Malkor, who just held up two fingers, beckoning them to fire.

"Go ahead." He told them. "I'll be generous and give you this one for free."

As they pulled the trigger, the blast fired off, and struck Malkor firmly in the chest. They saw the blast, and the fireball, but as the smoke cleared, all of them felt ill. With his carapace still smoking from the impact, Malkor just stared at them as if they had tried to take him down with a custard pie. He replied by launching a breath weapon that burned straight through their suits, de-morphing them and forcing all of them to the ground. Malkor approached them, finding them all unconscious. He poked Troy lightly with his axe to make sure, but he was unresponsive. He just looked completely unimpressed.

"Beating you has been surprisingly easy." He told them. "But you are all just a small part of the plan. I will only feel satisfaction when your entire world trembles before me. Next time we meet, you will be on your knees, or you will be destroyed."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the Rangers, broken, and defeated. If they knew what was good for them, they would give up any foolish notions of opposing him, but the victory felt hollow. He knew they had greater powers at their disposal. He had just finished them too quickly for them to bring forward the limits of their power. He knew that destroying them now was the smarter option, but where was the fun in that? No, if they wouldn't become his slaves, he would destroy them on his terms, when it suited him. Then, his people would have the Earth as their own personal buffet uncontested.


	16. Bug Hunt

Jake started to stir, his ears still badly ringing from the battle the Rangers had just been through. Everything was blurry, and all the sounds distorted. He started to get shakily to his feet, finding his limbs rubbery and barely responsive.

Bringing a hand to his brow, he rubbed it, and removed it, finding his hand with blood on it. This was easily the worst beating he could remember taking, either before or after becoming a Ranger. Stumbling a little as he took a step, looking down and seeing that it was Noah he had tripped over. Looking around, he could see he was the first to regain consciousness.

As he saw Emma start to stir next, he concentrated his attention on reviving Noah. The Blue Ranger straightened out his glasses...or what was left of them at least.

"Aw man, my mom's going to kill me." Noah grumbled.

"Man, my head." Gia moaned as she sat up, still finding it hard to get her bearings. "What...what happened? You know, apart from getting our butts handed to us."

"He hardly broke a sweat." Emma agreed as she helped Troy up onto his knees. "It's like nothing we did made any difference at all."

"Other than to piss him off." Jake stated.

"Where the hell was Jordan?" Gia said as they finally returned to their feet, mopping some blood from her lip.

"I'm not sure it would have made a difference." Troy answered sadly. "We completely underestimated her. That's not a mistake we can afford to make again."

"I heard that." Noah said, picking some gravel out of his afro. "He might have given us a pass this time, but somehow I doubt it was any kind of charity."

"That's not all I hear." Jake stated as he looked up. They all heard what he was talking about. The all too familiar melody of sirens was carrying on the air.

"They're close." Gia commented. "How long were we out?"

"It's Thanksgiving, there's no works traffic." Noah reminded her.

"Then we should get out of here and regroup." Troy told them, gathering up his morpher. The Rangers teleported just before the first of the cars arrived at the scene. The area was soon flooded with ambulances, fire engines and patrol cars. Detective Barnes got out of the lead car, her pistol in her hand.

"It looks like the coast is clear." One of the officers told her.

"Unfortunately it looks that way." She muttered. "It looks like everyone's long gone."

"Thank God this happened on a holiday." One of the fire crew remarked, looking to the office building Malkor had wrecked on his arrival. "Normally there'd be hundreds of people in there."

"So, we can..."

"We can't rule out the possibility of maintenance and office staff." He told her. "There's bound to have been SOMEONE in there. Come on guys, secure the area and start the search. We all know what to do."

"You look disappointed." One of the cops remarked as detective Barnes put her gun away. She just sighed and started looking around.

"We heard this all the way from the precinct. I was sure we'd be bound to find something." She told him. "Fan out and start looking."

"What for?" The officer asked him.

"ANYTHING!" She told him. "The Rangers were here, we know that much, so just go...look for something that shouldn't be here."

As the cops started to file out, looking for clues. Detective Barnes couldn't help feeling like he had a point, and that the Rangers were long since gone. It seemed like an exercise in futility, there was hardly ever anything of note at the site of Ranger battles. She had guessed that the suits, which seemed to be all-enclosed, and had gloves were responsible for making sure that there wasn't any genetic evidence or fingerprints. She was at least a little hopeful in this case though. Normally, even if they did find anything like blood or hair samples, they generally came with a huge element of reasonable doubt.

Despite what all the CSI shows would have gullible audiences believe, DNA and fingerprint evidence was not a magic wand that instantly solved all cases. The average person's shoes would have literally dozens of hair and skin samples on it within a few hours of being worn for the first time. All it could prove was that someone was NEAR an incident, but of course in a lot of cases there were hundreds of reasonable explanations why a sample was in a particular place, especially somewhere public like the street or a restaurant. Generally, other evidence was needed. However, with so few people around so early on a holiday, there weren't likely to be many casualties, meaning that anything she did find was less likely to be contaminated by the fact that any incident that happened in a public street would often happen with so many completely innocent bystanders around that it was impossible to tell who was and wasn't directly involved just with DNA.

As she looked around, she saw that there was some blood, and got a couple of officers to take a sample, but that wasn't all that interested her. She knelt down, picking up a plastic card from the ground.

"What's that?" One of the other officers asked, seeing it in her hand. It was a plastic swipe card, that looked to be badly charred, and slightly melted. The name and picture on it were indistinguishable, which was unfortunate for her. However, there was a logo on it.

"It looks like a library card." She told him.

"Not like any library card I've seen." He stated.

"Look at that logo." She told him. "Harwood High School."

"So...some kid dropped their library card here?" He asked her. She put it in an evidence bag. "What?"

"I'm kind of working on a hunch." She told him. "Keep looking, I'm just going to check something out."

As she headed to the car, the rest of the crew got to work, checking for anyone unlucky enough to be in the area, and looking for anything that was out of place.

Back in the Command Centre, Jake was pacing as he held his communicator, while the others were tending to their injuries. They would have been tracking Malkor's whereabouts, but he wasn't exactly trying to hide. He was stomping through the streets, kind of like he was daring anyone to come and stop him. With the fact that the Rangers had already tried and failed once, it wasn't like there were many people in a hurry to take him up on his challenge. Noah just sighed.

"Can't we call in past Rangers?" He asked them. "You know, like have a massive Ranger army?"

"Most of the teams don't have their powers anymore." Gia reminded him. "Besides, those that do would take ages to get here."

"But Malkor..."

"Malkor's our problem." Troy put down flatly. "This isn't pride talking, I'd love some help as much as any of you, but other teams have faced worse. Malkor might be the toughest thing we've faced, but right now, we should presume we're on our own."

"Well, he's still got his communicator off." Jake sighed. "Wasn't that on our list of rules or something?"

"Well it's not like Jordan was ever particularly good at following rules." Gia snapped as Tensou finished bandaging one of her arms. She saw Emma staring at her. "What?"

"He's had a lot on his mind. He's been hit with quite a broadside lately." Emma reminded her. "You should be able to understand that, you were ready to quit when you were outed."

"I was ready to quit when I found out Gosei used me, used the feelings I had for you!" Gia called back. "Besides, it didn't last long, I changed my mind as soon as I realised you guys needed me."

"We can condemn Jordan later...if we find him." Troy answered. "In the meantime, I think we're ready for round two."

"What makes you say that?" Emma asked. Troy just pulled up a video to the main screen.

"This is broadcasting on all forms of communication city wide." He informed her.

The image showed a huge image being beamed across the clouds, like a giant cinema screen, while the message was also broadcasting on all television and radio frequencies.

"I am Malkor, ruler of the Warstar Empire!" He introduced himself. "I have taken your city within hours with no significant resistance! All forms of resistance will be crushed mercilessly!"

"Why do bad guys have to brag?" Noah grumbled. "My back's still killing me; I know he won that first one."

"My ship will arrive within the hour, bringing my warriors with it!" He warned them. "The Earth's final hours are at hand, and you will all be my slaves for as long as it amuses me to spare your worthless lives. For that, you should be...thankful."

"A Thanksgiving pun? Really?" Jake asked.

"You heard him." Troy announced. "His ship's coming in an hour. That means we have only one more chance to beat him."

"When I get my hands on Jordan..."

"Believe me; I'll be looking for answers too." Troy told her. "But right now, we're almost out of time. If that ship lands, there's no way we can take on an army by ourselves. It that ship lands, we all lose, Metal Alice included."

"I never thought I'd see the day I was missing her." Jake remarked as they lined up.

"Go Go Megaforce!" They chorused as they morphed, leaving the command centre in a bright flash of light. Tensou looked to Gosei.

"This isn't good Gosei." He told him. "I've searched everywhere, and I just can't find Jordan anywhere..."

His words tailed off as the face in the wall opened up, releasing a mist into the Command Centre. Gosei strode out of his chamber, his billowing cloak sweeping around his black battle armour.

"There is only one place he can be." Gosei declared.

"But Gosei, you can't...your armour's power source..."

"This is far more important." Gosei told him.

"Why don't you just tell him what he wants to know?" Tensou asked him. Gosei just waved a hand, at which Tensou shut down all systems and slumped on the floor.

"The time for answers is coming." He stated as he headed for the door to The Library. "But it will not be today."

The Rangers arrived at the centre of town, finding that Malkor had demolished a number of buildings, creating a perimeter of broken rubble formed into a wall all around him. Jake looked around.

"He's been busy." He remarked.

"That's because he wanted us to come." Troy announced. "This isn't any structure, it's an arena."

"Right you are Red Ranger." Malkor greeted him in a guttural roar. "I see you came back, but your friend...he appears to still be the only one of you smart enough to realise the futility of fighting me."

"Well, we never give up!" Troy told him. "No matter how many times you put us down, as long as even one of us lives, we'll always fight anyone that threatens Earth!"

"Yeah, and even if we do fall, someone will replace us!" Gia added. "Over a hundred people have been Rangers at one time or another, and there'll be more after us too!"

"We all know you'll tear this world apart, there would be no point in surviving if we had to live on the wasteland you left behind." Emma agreed. "That's why we'll always fight to the end."

"Yeah, I don't give up, no matter how hopeless the fight is!" Jake yelled. He suddenly realised what he had said as the others stared at him. "OK, that came out wrong...but we won't give up!"

"Then I guess this time I'll have to finish you off." He responded.

"Well, you're not the only one with an upgrade." Troy told him as they all pulled out their power cards. "Remember guys, everything we have, don't hold back for anything! Ultra Mode, Activate!"

The Rangers powered up, their armour forming up around them. They started to fan out, surrounding Malkor. He just stood, looking unimpressed.

"Am I supposed to be afraid now?" He asked them, holding up his axe and beckoning them to come for him. "Bring it on!"

Back in the police station, the phones were going wild. Malkor's little holiday message had thrown the city into a complete panic, and everyone was calling in to ask after friends and loved ones that they hadn't managed to get in touch with.

"I'm sorry Mrs Carver, but I have no idea where your son is." Detective Barnes sighed. "You've given me a description, but I keep telling you, until he's been missing 24...yes, I'm aware of the monster attack...yes, I understand he's seventeen...just...try not to panic, we have a lot going on here, if we see or hear anything, someone will get back to you. Just try and remain calm."

As she hung up, a lab technician came up to her desk, she welcomed the distraction. She understood why people were panicking, but the fact was most of the calls were only wasting time. Until such time as the city was secure, it wasn't like they could go and start searching for every single person who hadn't answered their cell phone in an hour.

"Detective Barnes, I have the results you wanted." He told her. "This is indeed a Harwood High School library card."

"I had figured out that much already." She muttered. "I was wondering if you could tell me anything I DIDN'T know about it."

"Well, it is damaged, but I managed to glean some information from it." He replied. "The number isn't complete, but I do have the first six of them, which narrows down the ID to four students..."

"It's better than nothing I guess." She stated.

"It gets better." He told her. "I managed to get enough from the magnetic strip to get the last time they entered the library, and from that, matched it to the borrowing records..."

"That's a long-winded way to say you figured out who it belongs to." Detective Barnes interrupted him. He just nodded and handed her a file.

"We pulled this directly from Harwood's student records." He told her. She just furrowed her brows. "What?"

"I'm just working a hunch." She told him.

"Well, mind sharing what it is?" He asked.

"It's something about the way the Robo Knight talked to me under the bridge." She told him.

"What? You mean you didn't like the way he gave you attitude?" He asked. "Every perp you meet gives you attitude. I thought you were tougher than that Barnes."

"I don't care about what he said, but how he said it." She explained. "When was the last time you heard of a robot or talking mechanical device or computer giving someone attitude?"

"Have you ever been to Yo! Sushi in London?" He asked her. "There's this one robot waiter there that told me to 'move my fat arse' because I got in its way! It was kind of cool..."

"But that's a programmed response. It would say that to anyone. Robo Knight though, he actually talked TO me!" She stated. "And that insincere wave he gave me to taunt me? I think there's a person under all that armour."

"A person?" He asked her. "So...it's a suit, like the other Rangers?"

"I think so." She told him. "But some of the way he acted, what he said...it seemed like more than attitude. In some ways, it seemed kind of...immature, almost childish. He was about half a second from saying neener neener neener and thumbing his nose."

"Wait...you think...?"

"I don't just think it's a person under that armour, I think it's a kid." She responded.

"OK, sorry I asked." He said sceptically as he walked away. "You want to flush your career, you can, just leave me out of it."

As he left, she just looked back to the report, before gathering her jacket and heading for the door.

Back at the site of the battle, the Rangers were faring a lot better this time around. The additional power offered by their Ultra Mode armour made the battle a lot more even, but that still didn't make it an easy battle.

"Swarm him!" Troy called as the wings of his Ultra Armour grew out to deflect one of the blows form Malkor's axe. "We can't let up, not for a second!"

"Sand Storm!" Gia called out as she sent a stream of sand his way to blind him. "Go for it Jake!"

"Rock Crush!" He replied in kind, sending massive boulders flying Malkor's way. He managed to deflect a few of them, but one of them got through his guard, smashing into his chest. He staggered back, and looked down to a score in his carapace. He looked up and smiled.

"Impressive!" He told him.

"We just get better!" Troy announced as they assembled. "Ultra Victory Charge!"

He watched the Rangers combine to launch their ultimate attack, and stood, bracing for the impact. It burned painfully, he could feel his carapace cracking under the strain, and it took every ounce of his strength to remain standing. As the smoke cleared, the Rangers saw him still standing.

"It...It didn't work!" Jake stammered. "What are we meant to...?"

"It is working!" Troy yelled, pointing to Malkor's legs. They were shaky, and he noticed that the knees were bent slightly. "He's weakening, keep pouring it on!"

They fired off another blast, this time he held up his axe to help him take the hit. He found himself driven to his knees, and the axe growing hotter in his hands, so hot he actually felt it right down to his flesh. The Rangers stood, staring at him as he just got back up to his feet.

"Is that all you have?" He asked them. "Am I meant to be impressed?"

He looked up to the heavens as the sky darkened. The Rangers all followed his gaze, seeing a rolling, dark cloud coming in.

"Why am I not hopeful that's just bad weather?" Jake asked them.

"The heat generated bringing through a ship that size would generate massive amounts of heat." Noah explained. "It's the ship!"

"Guys, look!" Gia called out as they saw Zombats descending. Troy's eyes shot open as he realised how close they were.

"Guys, we can't let him get that power boost!" He called out as he rushed Malkor, attacking him with his Ultra Sword. "Stop them!"

The other Rangers fired blast after blast into the air, incinerating Zombats as they came down in a swarm.

Troy gave Malkor everything he had, called on every second of training he had, remembering everything he had learned. He doubted any of the sensei he had studied under had ever faced anything like Malkor. He was sent skidding backwards as the wings in his armour deflected another blow from his axe. As he looked up though, he was horrified to see a Zombat in Malkor's hand.

"You did well." He said with a grudging respect. "Still, in the end, humans will always come up...short!"

With that, he bit the head off the squealing Zombat, gulping it down in one go. The others came to Troy's side as they saw this. Emma just wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"That is wrong on so many levels!" She stated.

"Does he think he's Ozzy?" Jake asked in response.

"Maybe Peta has an intergalactic branch." Gia suggested.

"Guys, it's time to call the Zords." Troy told them, seeing the dark cloud shifting closer as Malkor grew. "All of them."


	17. The Insectoid Destruction

Eric was setting the table for Thanksgiving dinner, while Louise was tending to the dinner itself. They pretty much were working in silence while the television was playing in the background, bringing updates from the Ranger battle, giving as much detail as they could get from a safe distance...which at this point was several streets away.

Louise opened the oven taking a look at the turkey, checking on the jus that was collecting in the tray, trying to keep herself as distracted as possible. This was the worst part about knowing. Although she was proud of both of the girls, and was happy that they had seen fit to let them know that they were Rangers, it really didn't stop her worrying. She always felt ill to her stomach any time something bad was happening in the city and the girls weren't where she could see them, even before she knew. She always worried where they were, wondered if they were safe, hoped that they would contact her, even just to let her know they were safe. Now that she knew, she knew exactly where they were. It didn't really help her much though, knowing that right now, they were both at ground zero. Instead of just worrying if they were safe, she knew for a fact they were in easily the most dangerous place they could possibly be.

"Here." Eric told her, presenting a glass of wine to her. It was a little earlier than she was used to, but he just smiled. "It's Thanksgiving, you're entitled."

"I guess it could help." She answered as she took it, taking a small sip. They heard another announcement from the television, and both looked to it, just in time to see Malkor growing to massive size, while the dark cloud signalling the arrival of the Warstar ship descended ominously.

"I'll tell you what would make me thankful..."

"Believe me; I feel exactly the same way." Eric told her. Just then, he heard the doorbell. Neither of them were expecting anyone, and unless there was a serious time delay on the news feed, they knew it wasn't likely to be the girls. They had keys anyway, so it wasn't likely they would knock or use the doorbell. Eric went to the door, opening it to find Detective Barnes on the doorstep.

"Hello." He greeted her, trying to figure out who she was. "Um...I don't think anyone's meant to be on the street..."

"Detective Barnes, Harwood Police Department, are you Eric Goodall?" She began, showing him her badge. He inspected it for a second to be sure, satisfying himself it was real.

"It's nothing personal, but you can never be too careful." He told her.

"Well, I guess I should expect that from the owner of the largest security firm in the city." She answered, putting her badge away. "Can I speak to your daughter please?"

"Can I ask what it's regarding?" He asked her.

"I'd just like to ask Emma a few questions about her whereabouts today." She told him. Eric paused for a moment, clearing his mind and listening intently. He had no idea why a Harwood Police Detective would want to speak to his daughter...at least, he couldn't think of any good reasons.

"I'm afraid she isn't in right now." He told her. "She and Gia left earlier this morning."

"During a serious monster attack for which a city-wide curfew has been called?" She asked him.

"It was before the curfew." Eric corrected her. Detective Barnes was about to say something when she saw a picture hanging up in the hall. There were a lot of them to be honest. Even though most of her pictures remained on her computer, Emma's love of photography meant she still had dozens of pictures of her and her friends. She pointed to one picture.

"Who's that she's with?" She asked him. Eric just looked to the picture she was pointing at.

"That's her friends." He answered. "I'm sorry; this really isn't a good..."

"The one in the blue...is that Noah Carver?" She asked him.

"It is...I'm sorry, what is this regarding?" He said, shaking his head.

"I received a phone call from a Mrs Carver asking about her son's location. It appears he's missing too." She informed him. She held up her phone, bringing up the camera function. "May I?"

"If it'll help." He answered, taking the picture off the wall and holding it closer. Detective Barnes took a picture of it, and put her phone away.

"Thanks for your time." She stated, before leaving. Eric just closed the door behind her.

"What was that about?" Louise asked him.

"I don't know." He told her. "But if a detective is looking for Emma, I doubt it's anything good."

In the underwater base, Metal Alice was keeping track of the battle. More importantly, she was keeping track of the Warstar ship. She had been for some time, knowing that her opportunity was brief. As she activated a command, a communications link opened with Vrak.

"The ship is almost through re-entry." He told her. "It's time!"

"Of course it is my Lord." She answered him. He watched as the lights in his control console suddenly turned red. The ship lurched as it started to change direction.

"It's working!" He declared gleefully. "Your Trojan programme worked!"

He had planned for this all along. He could see that the battle between Malkor and the Rangers was nearing a stalemate. He could hear alarms sounding, and insectoids running around in a panic as the ship changed course, adopting a lethal re-entry course. The ship would surely break up within moments on its current course. Although the control console was locked out, he didn't want to take any chances that one of the insectoids would find a way to bring the ship back under control. He summoned up his spear, and drove it through the controls, destroying them utterly.

"Now the insectoids will burn up in the atmosphere." He stated. "Time to go I think."

As he activated his teleportation device, aiming to go to the Underwater Base though, he was horrified to find that it just sat idle. Mashing down on the control again, he found that it was dead.

"My teleporter doesn't work!" He screamed into his communicator. "Alice, you'll need to...Alice, ALICE!"

However, he didn't get a response. He looked around in a panic realising that with the virus in effect, none of the escape pods would work. He was stuck on board, while the ship was breaking up. He screamed in anguish as he prepared to face his fate.

In the Underwater Base meanwhile, Metal Alice just turned off the communications link. Under her mask, she smiled.

"Now all I need is for this battle to end." She commented. "No matter who wins, everyone loses."

Inside the library, Jordan was inside Gosei's memories, finding himself somewhere in the distant past. The cloaked figure stood in the original Command Centre in Angel Grove, looking at Zordon.

"Gosei, my son, what have you done?" He demanded.

"With all your mystical powers and love of prophesy, I'd have thought you would understand what I did." Gosei answered cryptically. "I did what I could."

"You...you have defied every law of..."

"I did what I had to do because YOU don't have the courage!" He interrupted him.

"He must know, he must be made to understand what you expect of him!" Zordon declared loudly. Gosei just snorted.

"Like you were so upfront with me?" He asked.

"You have sinned and acted against all of my teachings!" Zordon declared. "You have no idea how this has changed things, changed the destiny..."

"I have acted in the best interests of our future." Gosei declared. "History will be my judge when my time comes."

Jordan felt a hand grabbing him roughly, and pulling him out of the memory, sprawling him across the floor. Jordan looked up, seeing Gosei standing over him. Pythia was cowering a fair distance away.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Gosei screamed at him.

"I needed answers!" Jordan told him. "I deserve to know...!"

"You deserve NOTHING!" Gosei boomed as he looked to Pythia in disgust. "And you...he could never have accessed my memories without your involvement!"

"He promised me that he would avenge me!" She told Gosei. He just lowered his cloaked head, looking straight at her.

"Your petty vengeance is none of my concern!" He answered. As he held up a hand, Pythia screamed, as though in agony, before disappearing in a flash of light.

"Why?" Jordan demanded angrily. "I need to know..."

"You will know what I decide you need to know!" Gosei told him. "Your childish and selfish pursuit of knowledge you are not yet ready to possess has placed your friends...your very PLANET at risk!"

"What...what are you talking about?" Jordan demanded.

"As we speak, the Rangers face Malkor, while the Warstar ship brings his army to the planet's surface." He explained. "Yet instead of fighting with them, you are here."

Jordan just looked down in shame. He had turned off his communicator so that no one would figure out where he was, but in doing so, he had left his friends unable to contact him. He looked up to Gosei.

"This isn't over!" Jordan told him.

"The temptation is obviously too great." He answered. As he held out his hand, Jordan watched as all the crystals, every single memory in the Library flew through the air towards him. They formed into one single, red crystal in Gosei's hand. The shelves all disappeared into the floor as the crystal vanished into his hand.

"What have you...?"

"You will know in time." Gosei told him. "However, for now the Library is no more."

Jordan felt his anger flaring up again, but he realised that he had already left his friends too long already. He pointed a finger at Gosei.

"This isn't finished." Jordan told him. "I'm sick of your games!"

As he ran out of the room, Gosei slumped, his energy spent. He reached for his chest, finding the power source there glowing only dimly. He knew that his armour, the very thing keeping him alive out with his chambers had very little power left. His power source had been damaged in battle against the United Alliance of Evil. He made a point of using it sparingly after that, knowing that the time would come that it would run out of power altogether, leaving him in an atmosphere that would eventually kill him. He struggled every step of the way as he made his way back to the hole in the wall, closing the door to The Library for the last time. He climbed through the hole, closing over the statue once more.

Back at the site of the battle, the Megazord crashed to the ground, smoking from numerous scores in its dented, split and twisted armoured plating. Malkor's power was even more incredible now that he had grown.

"Damn, he's tough!" Jake called from the cockpit. He, Noah and Troy were using the main Megazord, while Gia and Emma utilised the Gosei Megaship Megazord. Even with both Megazords at their disposal, the battle was still going badly. The Megaship swung its swords into him, being parried by its axe.

"You're not kidding!" Gia responded as she activated another command. "Sorry Jordan, but if you were here, I could ask you if I could use your toys."

The Sky Lion and Sea Lion flew straight at Malkor, at which he brought his wings around himself. They powered up to full power upon impact, destroying his wings completely, but the backlash of energy sent them spinning away, exploding devastatingly overhead.

"He...He destroyed them!" Emma gasped.

"Meteor Strike!" He called out, sending a wave of energy into orbit. Noah looked up in horror as he saw a meteorite shower raining down on them. Boulders the size of cars slammed into the Megazords, tearing huge pieces off them.

"Our Zords won't be long after them." Troy announced. Malkor laughed as the two Megazords, billowing dark smoke, and barely holding together, faced off against him.

"This is pathetic; you really think those toys were ever going to be enough to stop me?" He stated. "Before long, my people..."

His words tailed off as he heard a loud bang from above their heads. Looking up, the Rangers and Malkor all watched the streaking form of the ship glowing brightly.

"What...what's happening?" Jake asked.

"Its re-entry...it's coming in too sharp!" Noah told them. "The ship's breaking up!"

"What...what have you done?" Malkor demanded of the Rangers angrily.

"Hey, don't look at us!" Gia protested her innocence. "I'd love to take credit, but it's not my fault your guys can't drive!"

Their attention was drawn to the skies as there was a huge explosion. The ship lurched downwards; burning as it went, tumbling on a destructive path towards the ground. Heading over the horizon, Noah looked to Troy.

"It looks like it'll crash in the mountains!" He told him. They all felt a massive tremor and saw a fireball extending into the heavens. As Malkor let out an enraged, mournful cry for his people, Noah just gulped. "Great, now he's pissed!"

"He's also distracted!" Troy pointed out. "Alright, now, combine all the Zords, all the cards into one huge super card!"

"But Troy, the Zords are on their last legs as it is!" Jake protested.

"They won't survive..."

"If Malkor gets a chance to get his head on straight, it won't matter anyway!" Troy reminded them. "Gosei Ultimate!"

The Rangers all slammed the cards into their control consoles, sending forth every single one of the remaining Zords surging into Malkor's back. The Rangers ejected from their Zords at the last minute, tumbling to the Earth just in time to see the Zords and Malkor disintegrating, showering the city with debris. Troy saw a hand, and looked up, seeing Robo Knight standing over him.

"Guys...I'm sorry." He stammered. "I came as soon as I could."

"We can talk about it later." Troy answered as they got up, looking over the destruction.

"I can't believe it." Jake stated. "He's really gone."

"But...the Zords." Emma answered. "They're all gone."

"Let's get back to the Command Centre." Troy replied, kicking a piece of the wreckage aside. "We'll figure out what to do there."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the mountains, the smoking remains of the Warstar ship were strewn throughout the area. Metal Alice strode through the wreckage, surveying her handywork.

"My Lord Vrak, what a horrible fate." She stated sarcastically, having a small laugh. "Isn't it a shame you couldn't find your way off the ship..."

Her words were interrupted as she heard movement in the wreckage. She looked to where a support structure slid off some other wreckage, tumbling to the ground. She saw a hand, and saw that it was still moving. Coming closer, she confirmed her suspicion that something was alive.

"Well well, it seems you've survived." She remarked. "I am impressed."

"Please...help...me!" Vrak begged her in rasping, laboured breaths. She looked down on him and smiled.

"Of course My Lord." She told him, removing her face mask and smiling. "I'll help you exactly as you once helped me."

His vision faded, and he lost consciousness as Metal Alice started to clear away the wreckage.

**A/N:** Yes, that's right folks...I've totalled the Zords! Try watching the last two episodes of Megaforce, they don't appear at all! Not that I'm complaining, Zord battles are generally my least favourite part of any episode. Just wanted to explain before I get any comments though...yes, I DID have scenes inside the Command Centre while the Megaship was being used in the field. I am aware that it's the mountain, but the way I see it, it's only PART of the mountain. I don't really think the size fits for it to be a WHOLE mountain, so in my fic, the Command Ship and the Command Centre are two different parts of the same structure.

Finally, I just wanted to point out...if you read between the lines, there is a VERY big hint about a major reveal pertaining to Gosei. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, more coming soon!


	18. Metal Alice's Newest Creation

The Rangers returned to the Command Centre, feeling every inch of their injuries. The fact was that Malkor was a completely unprecedented threat. It had taken everything they had, quite literally EVERYTHING, and even then they were well aware there was a huge element of luck involved in the end result. The ship breaking up on re-entry distracted him long enough to unleash the combined power of all their Zords. He was gone, but they paid a high price for it, and they knew it.

Tensou was rushing around, once again playing the role of nursemaid. He was currently working on Jake as the others stood around.

"Malkor's gone, but so are the Zords!" Gia piped up in frustration, reiterating their situation. It wasn't as though any of them could really have missed what had happened. She looked to the others. "What the hell are we meant to do now?"

"Metal Alice is still out there." Noah reminded them. "She has to be aware of what happened by now."

"If that's the case, then we're sitting ducks!" Jake snapped. Jordan just ran his hands through his hair. It wasn't likely that he could have done much about it, but that didn't mean he didn't blame himself for it. The fact was that as the Rangers faced the biggest battle they ever had, he was nowhere around. He was in The Library trying to get answers. "All she needs to do is send a big robot into the city and we're screwed!"

"We've faced worse." Jordan told them. "Besides, we have one Zord left. The Lion Zord might not be much, but it's better than nothing."

"We've faced worse?" Gia asked him sceptically. "Maybe we have, but where the hell were you?"

"Gia..."

"Don't tell me to calm down Troy!" Gia warned him, getting off the bench and getting into Jordan's face. "We were facing off against one of the worst of the worst, one of the most dangerous monsters ever to come to this planet, and where were you? You were catching up on your reading! With your damned morpher switched off!"

"Gia, I'm..."

"Don't try to tell me you're sorry!" Gia yelled at him, shoving him roughly. "We're meant to be a team! We're all on board; all of us were there..."

"And I would have been..."

"And you would have been if you weren't too busy pissing about in The Library concentrating on Metal Alice!" She roared.

"Gia, back it down!" Troy told her. "None of us are happy about the situation..."

"In case you hadn't noticed, Gosei's not exactly been the most forthcoming about this whole thing!" Jordan told her. "She's Eltarian, she fought against Zordon..."

"What's your point?" Emma asked him.

"The fact is, she killed dad!" Jordan snapped in response. "Now, I'm sorry I screwed up, but she's been running rings around us for weeks now, taking shots at us whenever she feels like it...doesn't any of you want to know why?"

"Jordan, I can sympathise, really I can." Noah told him. "But being brutally honest, right now I don't really care."

"You don't care?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah, that's right, we don't care!" Gia answered. "I'm sorry if that sounds harsh Jordan, but who the hell CARES why we have to destroy her? She's trying to destroy us; she's threatening the Earth, isn't that enough?"

Jordan had to concede that Gia had a point. The fact was that one way or another, they had to destroy her regardless. It wasn't as though knowing why she had a grudge against him, what perceived slight Jordan had perpetrated against her would change that. It was only his own peace of mind that wanted to know.

"I'm sorry." Jordan replied quietly as he sat down. "You're right. No more looking for answers. Gosei shut down the Library anyway. I couldn't go back, even if I wanted to."

"Right Jordan, apology accepted." Troy told him.

"Apology accep..."

"I said that's the end of it!" Troy put down flatly as Gia glared at him. "Getting mad and fighting each other isn't going to help matters! We still have Metal Alice, and however many Robots she still has at her disposal to face."

"Yeah, we just have to wait on her making a move." Jake commented. "All we know is she's somewhere under the ocean. We still don't know where."

"Even if we did, we only have one working Zord." Emma reminded them, gesturing to Jordan. "Last time I checked, the Lion Zord wasn't exactly an amphibious vehicle."

"Right, let's stop worrying about what we don't have, and start concentrating on what we do have." Troy stated. "We're all still alive, so that's one thing at least."

"We all still have our powers." Jake continued. "We also have Ultra Mode."

"I'm still around, so we do still have one Zord." Jordan said dejectedly.

"OK, so it's not much but it's a start." Noah told them. "The Zords...Gosei built them once, can he rebuild them?"

"It's not going to be easy." Tensou told them. "I've already started teleporting the wreckage back to the island, but the power source in his life-support suit is almost completely depleted. He can't leave his chambers anymore, not long enough to rebuild the Zords."

"Not to mention it'll take time." Noah responded. "Something tells me Metal Alice isn't going to give us an early Christmas present and wait around for us to rebuild our arsenal."

"If she's got anything in reserve, we could be in serious trouble." Jake stated. "You said Gosei's power source is almost out of juice, is there any way we can get more of...whatever it is?"

"I'm afraid it's really quite rare." Tensou told them regretfully. "There were never many power rubies to begin with."

"We at least have to try." Troy answered. "Without his help, it's only going to take longer to repair those Zords."

Tensou performed a scan of the area, thinking that it was pointless. It wasn't as though he hadn't done this before, since his armour was damaged all those years ago, Gosei had been very limited in what he could do. As far as Tensou knew, there weren't any power rubies in the galaxy.

"I've...I've got a hit!" He said, sounding surprised. "I've scanned this whole galaxy a hundred times..."

"Where is it?" Noah asked him. Tensou just looked to him.

"It's in the wreckage of the Warstar ship." He informed them. "They...they must have taken a planet with a mine on it...they must have been using them as a power source!"

The Rangers all looked to Troy, looking a little confused.

"OK, that kind of creeps me out." Jake told him. "How did you...?"

"I really wish I knew." Troy told them. "My dreams haven't quit yet, a whole lot of enemies we haven't faced yet are still in there. I knew this wasn't the end of the story. I guess I just...had to believe."

"Well hallelujah and call me a convert." Noah told him. "So, we need to get down to that wreckage and swipe some Power Rubies."

"You need to rest." Tensou corrected him. "I'll go."

"But Tensou..."

"I know what I'm looking for." Tensou reminded him. "Not to mention all of you should really be getting home. It is still Thanksgiving, and I'm sure your parents would like to get to see you at some point. You all need to get yourselves cleaned up before you get back home."

"He's got a point." Noah grumbled. "I've been out of the house all day; my folks have probably already called the cops!"

"You think you've got it bad? I promised to help mom make the dinner." Jake told him. "There's no way my folks aren't going to kill me over this."

"Take all the time you need." Tensou told them. "I'll worry about the power rubies."

Meanwhile, in the Underwater base, Metal Alice was working on what she was sure would be her greatest creation. She held the torch in her hand like an artist's brush, working on her masterpiece. She had always intended to repay Vrak in kind for what he had tried to do to her.

He had rebuilt her, making her into what she was now, but there was no altruism in his motives. He had tried to make her into his latest and greatest weapon. In his arrogance, he had told her he would try to wipe her mind. To purge her of her own personality and turn her into a slave to his will. She was still livid when she thought about his arrogance. She was Eltarian! She was controlling the evolution of the universe before his species had crawled out of the swamps of their home world. He wanted to control her? Did he not realise that the Eltarian mind was not something he could ever hope to comprehend? Through willpower alone she had kept her own mind, and plotted her revenge.

When she found him among the wreckage of the ship, she was far from discouraged. Although she had planned for him to destroy himself when he sought to destroy the Insectoids, the fact he had barely survived had afforded her the opportunity to take her spite beyond merely killing him. Now, she had the opportunity to turn him into an abomination of her own creation.

She saw the systems beginning to activate and realised he was regaining consciousness. She just smiled as she saw this.

"You are almost complete my marvellous creation." She told him. "Tell me, how does it feel knowing you have been outwitted? I wouldn't know you see. My kind were ruling the universe long before your kind even knew there was more beyond their own tiny planet."

She worked on some more of his weapons systems, casting an eye over at the computer that was tracking his mental reconditioning.

"You may be surprised that I am being so open with what I'm telling you, but in a few moments it won't really matter. You will just satisfy yourself, content in the knowledge that I am your greatest creation, and that your coming invasion will go off without a hitch." She told him. "Oh yes, I know all about your little plot. I figured it out long ago. I've seen all your communications. I know that soon your envoy will arrive to confirm Malkor is gone for good."

She drew closer, looking straight into his eyes.

"Then, he will signal the beginning of the true invasion." She told him. "Of course, they won't know the true architect of their fate until it is far too late. You won't be able to tell them what I have done once my programme takes hold."

She finished up her work, and marvelled at her creation as she activated him.

"My greatest weapon." She told him. "Congratulations Vrak, it looks like you do get to be the one that destroys the Rangers after all."

In the wreckage of the Warstar ship, Tensou was following his sensors, finding what he was looking for. The Insectoids had indeed been using a power ruby to power their ship. It was large, almost the size of a watermelon, and uncut. He couldn't believe that it had been delivered to them. The ruby that had powered Gosei's armour for millennia was barely the size of a ping pong ball. This was just the kind of luck they needed, this could tip the balance, and allow them to rebuild what was left of their arsenal.

Unfortunately, as he was about to leave, he saw something that troubled him. It wasn't wreckage, or blood, there was plenty of both in the area, but as he looked, he saw that some of the wreckage had been recently disturbed. There was a trail of blood leading from it, but on closer inspection, it was more like it was smeared on the wreckage, like it had been dragged across it. The trail suddenly ended, but with no body, like it had just disappeared.

"Tensou, Tensou! Come in!" Troy called through the communicator. "Have you got it?"

"I've got the power ruby." He confirmed. "But I'm not the only one that's been here. Someone else has searched through the wreckage. They've taken someone from the crash site."

"Tensou, just get back here." Troy told him. "You don't know if they're still there."

Tensou teleported back to the Command Centre, where the Rangers were waiting for him. Noah took the power ruby from him.

"This is it?" He asked.

"It hasn't been cut or refined." Tensou told them. "It'll take a while for me to prepare."

"Can you do it?" Troy asked him. Tensou just looked at him.

"It'll be a few hours, but I can have it ready." He told them. "In the meantime, all of you should go home. Enjoy what's left of..."

Just then, the alarm sounded. They all groaned.

"She never lets up does she?" Jake complained. "So much for Turkey Day."

"It's Metal Alice alright." Gia confirmed, turning from the screen and looking to Jordan. "So, the question is..."

"I know what has to be done." Jordan assured her. "I'll not flake again."

"Good, because we're all still feeling the last round." Noah told him. Jordan just nodded.

"I'll do the heavy lifting." He assured them. "Come on guys, she wants a fight, let's give it to her."

Meanwhile, in another part of town, at the precinct, Detective Barnes was back at her desk, checking her computer. She had e-mailed a copy of the photograph of Emma and her friends to the computer. Finding Emma's library card...or what was left of it...had played on a hunch she'd had since she began searching for the Robo Knight.

She had entered all the images into the computer, checking them against the school's matriculation records. All students were issued with photographic library cards, meaning that there were images available of all the students. Checking all the students in Emma's year, it wasn't long before she found all the students in the picture.

She had a notepad next to her, and had the names written down. Troy Burrows, Jordan Edwards, Noah Carver, Jake Holling, Emma Goodall and Gia Moran were all written down, with three of the names scored out. She had received a call from Mrs Carver asking if there were any reported sightings of Noah, who went missing before Malkor's attack.

She had been to Emma and Gia's home, and had heard from Eric that they too had been missing from most of the day. Three out of the six kids in the picture were unaccounted for at the time of the attack. She was currently on the phone.

"OK, thank you for your time Mr Burrows." She answered. "Yes, I'll let you know if we hear anything."

As she hung up, a colleague came over to her desk with a report.

"So, can you save me a phone call?" She asked him. The officer handed her a report.

"The Holling family called to ask about their son a couple of hours ago." He informed her. Detective Barnes just smiled as she scored off the last three names.

"Six out of six." She announced. "How lucky can I get?"

"You're not still on about this wild theory of yours are you?" He asked her. She just looked to him and sighed.

"I guess it's impossible to keep anything quiet in this precinct." She grumbled. "Yes, I'm working a hunch."

"You really think the Power Rangers are teenagers?" He asked her. "You seriously think a bunch of kids have been fighting to save the city all this time?"

"I'm starting to think that." She told him. "There's a monster attack in the city, in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, almost nobody's around...and these six kids are all missing at exactly the same time?"

"Barnes, you're clutching at straws!" He tried to reason with her. "This is all because of the Edwards kid. Everyone knows you're trying to pin the General's death on him."

"I'm starting to doubt that to be honest." She told him. "We never found a weapon, the weapon itself was titanium steel, way beyond the means of the average burglar...what if his death wasn't down to a break in?"

"You think one of these monsters killed General Edwards?" The other officer asked her. "Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?"

"Think about it, if you were one of these...freaks! If you had to fight Rangers day in day out, risk taking on someone with those kinds of powers...what would you do if you knew who their families were?"

She pulled up some files she had gathered.

"Eric Goodall and Louise Moran, they were kidnapped by that Spider Monster a few months back." She told him. "The same monster was seen in the same street as the Holling house."

"Barnes, this is thin, this is...circumstantial at best!" He told her.

"Well, you don't have to believe me; I know the case is weak." She told him. "But I just think this is worth looking at."

"Well, you're on your own with that one." He told her. "If you want to flush your career, don't bother taking the rest of us with you."

As he left, Detective Barnes looked back to the picture. She knew that a lot of what she knew was nowhere near enough to prove her thoughts, but since taking on the General Edwards case, the only real suspect had been Jordan. As much as it was easy to believe that he would want to do it, a lot of the main evidence, such as any trace of the weapon was never found. This at least provided a real explanation why that would be the case, and why Jordan would be so obstructive in their efforts to find the General's killer. After all, if he was a Ranger, how could he tell the cops one of the monsters attacked his father in his own home without revealing why? The more she thought about it, the more it made sense, regardless of how insane it sounded. She just had to find out for herself.


	19. Vrak 20

Metal Alice was back at the site of the Ranger's first encounter with Malkor, waiting for the Rangers while some hostages cowered behind her. Some emergency crews had been called out to secure the wreckage until it could be properly cleared and people could come in to begin rebuilding the district properly. It meant that she had some leverage she could use to bring the Rangers to her. Before she even had to send the signal though, she saw a bright flash of light. She smiled as she saw the Rangers arriving.

"You're punctual, that saved me inviting you here." She greeted them insincerely as she prepared her sword. "I didn't even need to call."

"Metal Alice, we're done here!" Troy told her. "You're on your own now, give it up!"

"Oh, I'm not on my own, I actually have plenty of company." She assured them. Emma couldn't help glancing to the hostages. It wasn't like any of them could miss them.

"Let them go Alice, we both know what you want." Jordan told him. "If you want me, I'm right here. Just let them go..."

"Now, why would I want to do that? You seem to forget all about the rules of negotiation. You need to negotiate from a position of strength." She told him. "You're already here, so what else can you offer me? Their lives mean nothing to me now, so why wouldn't I just...?"

"Please don't!" Emma screamed out. "We know you're no robot, we know you aren't just following orders, the only reason for you to do this is because of your grudge with Robo Knight! These people aren't involved!"

"Please?" She mocked Emma, using a processor to answer in a facsimile of her own voice to mock her. "That's the thing about you humans. You're so weak, so frail. All of this, it's just fallen into place so perfectly for me."

She started to pace, looking straight at them.

"Malkor's destroyed most of your arsenal, and given you the run around most of the day." She taunted them. Looking to Jake, she saw his axe lowering, and his arm shaking slightly. "Those limbs are all becoming a little wobbly now aren't they? Oh, and hunger, I'll bet you're all hungry...no time to stop and gorge yourselves on turkey..."

"We're fine, thanks for your concern." Troy answered as they started to fan out. She saw him standing ready, like he was trying to show he was still strong, but even the smallest of shakes was visible to her sharp optical sensors.

"I'll bet your eyes are starting to mist up too." She continued to taunt them. "You're maybe becoming a little sleepy? And yet here I am, fully repaired and ready for action, how sad for you!"

"Let the hostages go and you can see how tired we are!" Jake snapped at her. "We're not going anywhere!"

"You're not getting any help either." She told them. "After Malkor's fall, I sent out a little interference. All communications signals leaving the city have been severed. The last thing the rest of the world saw was you destroying the 'Big Bad' Malkor."

She pointed to the hostages.

"Well, how about it? It's time to cheer and applaud isn't it?" She asked them. "The Rangers have won, the big bad is gone, and he's taken all his evil insects with him. All that's left is us mindless robots."

"The world doesn't know you're not a robot." Troy murmured as the thought sank in. "They'll think that you can't act without orders! They'll think..."

"They'll think I'll just sit in my base, gathering dust, waiting on orders that will never come." She told them. "Meanwhile, I get to finish you off for good, eliminating the last line of resistance to my total victory."

"There's just one problem with that plan." Jordan answered. "There are six of us, one of you!"

"Oh...oh that's right; curse my inability to perform basic arithmetic!" She laughed sarcastically. She waved to the shadows of a collapsed building. "You forget, I design robots. Let me introduce you to my latest project, it's my greatest creation yet."

The Rangers all strained to see into the darkness as they heard heavy footfalls.

"My 'master' was brilliant, but his one weakness was the same as yours, the weakness that has all of you struggling to stand before me right now, flesh." She stated, placing emphasis on the word 'master' to show her sarcastic disdain for Vrak's attempt to control her. "That is no longer a problem!"

As the new, Cyborg Vrak walked into view, the Rangers all recoiled in horror.

"This...this is unbelievable." Noah stammered.

"No Way!" Gia called out. "We destroyed him! He was on the Warstar ship!"

"He was, but I found him." She told them. "He was a little...worse for wear...frankly I was impressed he was alive at all, but it did afford me the opportunity to repay him in kind for his attempts to control me."

"She's insane!" Jake gasped. "I mean...completely, utterly out of her mind!"

"The difference between genius and insanity is measured purely by success." She shot back, gesturing to the hostages. "You...get out of here. Your presence is no longer required. Vrak...attack!"

Several openings opened up in Vrak's shoulder plates, and missiles came into view. A moment later, he fired off the whole salvo, which rocketed into the air, before twisting and coming back, slamming into the Rangers. They all tumbled to the ground, and lay there, struggling to move, while Jordan rolled back to his knees quickly. Having been absent for the entirety of the battle with Malkor, he wasn't beaten up the same way the Rangers were. He knew that he had to make up for earlier anyway, but it was obvious he would have to take on most of the strain.

"He's stronger than before." Troy announced, clutching his side.

"I built him to be as powerful as I am." Metal Alice told them proudly. "With some suitable...alterations...to his mind of course. You could say I have deleted his humanity!"

"What little there was of it." Jake grumbled.

"Now, he is even more cold-blooded than before, and completely loyal only to me."

"Destroy!" Vrak called forth as he rushed into battle, smashing into all of them as he went past. Jordan was preparing to attack him, when he felt a sharp pain in his leg. Looking down, he saw Metal Alice's sword in his leg, while she glared at him.

"Let's leave them to enjoy playing with my new toy." She told him. "We have our own score to settle!"

Before Jordan could do anything about it, she grabbed him and launched high into the air with him, taking him up to the top of a high-rise tower block, rolling away as they landed. Jordan got up, preparing his Robo Blade, but stopped as he saw a missile platform on the rooftop.

"Oh, that can't be good." He muttered.

"Not for you." She answered as their swords clashed, ringing out as they fell upon each other.

In the Harwood Police Department, the phones, which had been ringing non-stop all day had suddenly, fell silent. It had been a source of relief for the staff at first, but now that some of them were trying to call home to tell their families they were coming home and arrange when they were going to meet up, they found that their phones were also not connecting. Neither were the radios. Turning on the TV's, they found that they weren't broadcasting either. There was no internet...there was no form of communication of any kind!

"You don't think everything went down because of that ship that crashed do you?" The chief asked them.

As he asked this, they heard a massive explosion elsewhere in town.

"What the hell?" He asked. "I thought the Rangers won!" Before he could say anything else, Detective Barnes was rushing out the door, and leaping into the first squad car she could lay her hands on. They rushed to the door as she pulled away, and saw that several news vans were also on the way. While they wouldn't be able to broadcast, that didn't mean to say they wouldn't be able to record for future broadcast.

"Alright folks, I know we all want to go home, but right now the city needs us." The chief instructed his men. "Everyone out on patrol, the curfew is back in full effect. A lot of people are going to be very scared right now."

Back at the site of the battle, Troy avoided Vrak as he lashed out with wickedly curved blades, powering up into Ultra Mode as he turned to strike in response.

"You might be powerful Vrak, but you're slow!" Troy told him as Noah and Jake rushed in from behind him, bringing their Ultra Swords into the back of his knees, bringing him to his knees on the pavement. Gia and Emma came together.

"Now's as good a time as any to try that new combo we've been working on." Emma told her best friend. Gia was the first to go, putting a Power Card into her morpher.

"Gravel!" She called out, causing huge amounts of stone from the surrounding area to shatter, becoming tiny, sharp stone chips. Emma gathered up her Power Card.

"Twistornado!" She yelled, powering up the whirlwind. It picked up the sharp rocks, and swept them into a deadly tornado, sweeping them into Vrak. She concentrated all her power into the winds, speeding them up as fast as she dared, causing the stone chips to slice through the air dangerously. Vrak covered up as they collided with him, some of them lodging into him, others slicing into exposed joints and circuitry. If he wasn't made almost completely of armoured plating, he would likely have been sliced to ribbons in seconds. Emma staggered slightly as she couldn't maintain it any longer, and released him, showing Vrak to be damaged from the attack.

"Wow, people really shouldn't get on the bad side of the two of you!" Jake complimented them as Gia came to his side.

"Alright guys, let's bring them together!" Troy stated as they all formed up into formation. Vrak saw this coming, and prepared another salvo of his missiles.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Metal Alice and Jordan were locked in a deadly battle for supremacy. Jordan was bringing everything to the table, keeping his hatred from his mind as much as he could. He could only think over and over about what Gia had said to him any time he found it creeping into his mind. His own revenge didn't matter. Metal Alice's revenge didn't matter. None of it did. If he lost, then millions could die.

"You insolent little bastard!" Metal Alice screamed as he scored a huge slash across her abdomen, stripping most of her armour away. "How...how can you believe you can best me? An Eltarian..."

"You know what I've learned about Eltarians?" Jordan asked her. "I've learned I don't really like them much! Every Eltarian I've met has been arrogant, self-serving, or completely psychotic!"

"You DARE insult our kind?" She screamed at him, forcing him back to the edge of the rooftop, where they struggled as she tried to drive her blade into him. "Filthy, blasphemous abomination! You whose existence is an insult to our very being!"

They heard an explosion, and Metal Alice looked up in time to see Vrak and the Rangers flying apart as the Ultra Victory Charge and the missile salvo collided in the centre of the plaza. Jordan took the momentary distraction to form a new plan.

"You know what Wallacia?" He grunted. "You talk too much!"

He drove his heel backward, shattering the restraining wall, causing both of them to tumble from the top of the building. They both crashed to the ground far below, sending concrete flying in all directions. Metal Alice got up, and helped the badly damaged Vrak up, positioning herself under her arm.

"Don't get too comfortable Rangers." She warned them. She activated a handset, at which the missile fired, heading for an apartment block. Troy watched it go, and realised that with the curfew in effect, people were confined to their homes. The whole apartment block, potentially hundreds of people would all be inside. He looked to Jordan.

"Jordan!" He called out.

"On it!" He answered, changing into his flight mode. The others leapt onto him, hitching a ride and powering up their weapons, leaving Metal Alice and Vrak to flee. Detective Barnes and several news crews arrived just as they were teleporting out.

"Holy shit, did you see that?" One of the reporters shrieked. "The robots are acting alone!"

"That missile!" Someone else called out. They all stared up at the sky, watching the Rangers head on a collision course with the missile.

They all watched with baited breath as the Rangers raced for it, powering up their Ultimate Victory Charge. At point-blank range, they unleashed their attack, destroying the missile completely. They streaked back towards the ground, slamming into it and tumbling to a stop.

Completely spent, the Rangers' power finally failed, and their suits disappeared. Jordan's armour recalled into himself as they lay on the ground. Troy started to stir.

"OK, that was...not pleasant." He declared. "Everyone else OK?"

"I'll tell you when my head stops pounding." Gia answered. As they got up, they saw Noah staring at something. They all followed his gaze, turning to see the assembled press, and Detective Barnes staring at them. Numerous cameras were on them, all of them recording. Jake gulped.

"Oh, we are SO screwed." He announced. Jordan looked to Detective Barnes, who was just starting at him.

"I...I knew it." She told him. "I thought...I thought I was going crazy, but...I just..."

The Rangers, not knowing what to do, just fled the scene, hitting the teleport command to take them back to the Command Centre.

In the Underwater Base, Metal Alice had finished repairing herself, and was concentrating on repairing Vrak, when she heard something behind her. She turned to see something teleporting in behind her.

It was taller than her, covered in thick, white armour. It started to stride towards her.

"I believe you are The Messenger." She greeted it, bowing to it respectfully. She knew all about Vrak's schemes, and she knew that he was expecting a new arrival. She knew that the true invasion was only waiting for him to remove the resistance with the help of the Insectoids, before destroying them and clearing the way for his own true masters. The new arrival just nodded.

"I am The Messenger, Envoy to The Armada." He told her. "I must speak with Lord Vrak."

"Unfortunately that will need to wait a short while." She answered, gesturing to the corner. The Messenger looked to Vrak, and paused for a moment, before moving over and inspecting him more closely. He turned to Metal Alice.

"This is Vrak?" He asked her. "What have you done to him?"

"He was gravely wounded in his efforts to remove the Insectoids." Metal Alice informed him. "They proved to be more troublesome to defeat than expected. Lord Vrak bravely sacrificed himself for The Armada. It was good fortune that I was able to save him."

"It was indeed." The Messenger told her. "So, I take it that all resistance has been crushed?"

"The Rangers still live." Vrak told him. Metal Alice just smirked behind her mask. His modified mind would only remember what she wanted him to, and would never speak against her. He would never be able to tell The Messenger of her treachery. He would only find out too late who the real power on Earth was. "They are exhausted and losing more of their power with each encounter. It will only be a matter of time."

"My master instructed me to assist you in any way I can, and signal when it is time to begin the invasion." He told Vrak, before turning to Metal Alice. "How long until he is ready to go into battle once more?"

"It will not be long." She answered, getting back to work. Everything was falling into place. She now knew the Rangers couldn't call anyone for help. Their arsenal was dwindling, and with each battle, they were losing more and more of their remaining strength. Before long, it would be time for the End Game.


	20. Thanksgiving's Over

The Rangers were back in the Command Centre, looking more dejected than ever as they tended to their newest wounds. Emma was just getting her wrist bound by Noah as Tensou looked to the horrendous wound in Jordan's leg, pulling out a piece of metal a little larger than a quarter, and triangular. Jordan just took it from him and sighed.

"I'd love to say I took a piece of her with me." He stated as he tossed it aside, allowing Tensou to start stitching up the wound. "It's just the tip of her sword."

"This has to be the worst Thanksgiving EVER." Jake muttered. "How is it that no matter what we do everything just seems to get worse and worse?"

"Jake, we can't start thinking like that." Gia told him. "There's still more to be done!"

"Yeah, of course there is, there's ALWAYS more to be done!" Jake replied. "At the start, it was just Malkor and his Alien Ant Farm to deal with. Then just as we're getting used to that, oh sorry, but now you have a bunch of Toxic Mutant freaks to deal with. Then it's robots, only, they're not actually robots, but some psychotic Eltarian lunatic!"

"Jake..."

"One day!" Jake roared. "We've lost the Zords, and had our butts kicked three times in ONE FREAKING DAY!"

"Jake, we're all frustrated!" Troy interrupted him.

"Frustrated, is that the word?" Jake asked him. "I used to get frustrated, when I was doing a test and I didn't know the answer. I used to get frustrated when I got sick before a big game...I got FRUSTRATED when I liked a girl, and she didn't even know I existed."

He started to pace, wringing his hands in his hair.

"If that's frustrated, then what the hell is this?" Jake asked him. "We're losing a little more each time we face them, and they only seem to get stronger! Communications are down, so we can't even contact any of the others for help, the Zords are gone, and we're dying on our feet! Oh, and to cap it all off, we've just been unmasked in front of every reporter in the whole freaking city!"

"Jake, it's getting to all of us!" Emma assured him.

"It's easy for you to say, your boyfriend's right there!" Jake told her, pointing to Troy. "Your parents know about you! This won't be a revelation..."

"Like that's going to matter!" Gia snapped at him. "Do you really think that matters? Whether or not they know? It'll only be a matter of time before they figure out who we are, and then what? When they can't find us, who do you really think they'll go to? Do you really think they'll leave our families alone?"

"Don't you think I get that?" Jake yelled. "I know they'll descend on our places, looking for the inside scoop, raking through our lives! It isn't just us anymore, now they're going to tear apart our whole lives, including the people we love!"

He turned to the statue in the wall, tears running down his face as he confronted Gosei.

"We all knew this was risky, but you never told us about this!" Jake screamed at the statue. "This is all because of you! TO HELL WITH YOU!"

Noah came to his side, and held Jake, guiding him back towards a bench, helping him lie back. All of the team felt pretty much the same. They had heard the horror story of the Space Rangers, an entire team whose identities had been exposed to the public. They were watching the same thing happen to them.

"Like it or not, there's still more fighting to do." Troy told them. "Once we destroy Metal Alice and Vrak..."

"Then we just have this war that you keep dreaming about to fight." Noah sighed. Troy just nodded in response.

"So...what does that mean?" Emma asked him. Troy looked around them all sadly.

"I think that means regardless of what happens, we're not going home from this one." He told them. "It'll only be worse for everyone if we do."

"So we just disappear?" Jake asked him. "No...no word, not even a goodbye?"

"We probably have time for a goodbye." Noah told them. "All communications are down. With no internet or anything, it'll take hours for them to find out who we are and who our families are."

"I guess they're going to find out now regardless." Jake sighed. "I suppose it'd be better coming from us."

"Alright, I guess this is it then." Troy told them. "We'll meet back here in half an hour."

"Half an hour?" Emma asked him. He just nodded.

"I doubt we're going to get much longer than that." He told them honestly. "I had a feeling none of us were going home from this one."

With that, they all headed for home for the last time. Jordan though, remained in the Command Centre. Tensou just looked to him.

"Aren't you going?" He asked.

"I don't have anyone to say goodbye to." He responded honestly as he lay back to get some much-needed rest.

Emma and Gia arrived in their Living Room, ignoring all the usual restrictions on teleportation. It was far too late for them to care about such things. Cat, Eric and Louise were all waiting for them. They looked to the girls, seeing that they were badly roughed up, and obviously completely exhausted.

"Girls..."

"Please, don't fuss, there isn't much time." Gia interrupted her mother. Emma was already shedding tears as she looked to her dad. He could see the look in her face, and his heart immediately sank. He recognised that look from a number of friends he had served with in his military days.

"Emma..."

She just made his way into his arms, and held him tightly, not knowing when, or even if she would ever be able to go back to him. She just held him closely, sobbing into his chest.

"There's a big battle coming up." Gia started to say as Louise just looked worried. "Um...the thing is...we were caught on camera...unmorphed."

"You...you were...?"

"They won't be able to broadcast for a while, but they have it all on tape." Gia told them. "Once they figure out who we are...they'll come for all of you. We can't be here when they do."

"So where are you going?" Cat asked. Gia couldn't answer her, as much because she didn't want to say it out loud as the fact she really didn't know. All she knew was that regardless of whether or not they won the upcoming battle, they would not be able to return home. Cat knew what her silence meant and broke down. Gia pulled her in, holding her tightly as the family huddled together into the middle of the room.

Elsewhere in the city, a reporter was in the back of the van, looking over the footage they had shot. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she paused the frame with all six of the Rangers staring straight at the cameras.

"I'm sorry; we still can't reach the office." Her cameraman told her as he hung up the phone.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She shrieked. "We're sitting on the hottest footage we've ever shot! This is a Pulitzer for sure, and you're telling me we can't get even call it in?"

"I'm telling you, nothing works!" He reiterated. "The net, e-mail, nothing! The only good news is none of the networks are broadcasting, so we're not behind anyone else!"

"Damn it." She snapped. "Any luck figuring out who those kids are?"

"Well, the Asian one kind of looks familiar." He told her with a shrug. "I'd have done an archive search by now, but..."

"Shit, this is unbelievable!" She responded. "This is easily the highlight of my career, and I have to wait for some damned interference to clear up! I can't even Fed-Ex it to another city, all the damned roads are still down!"

"Um...I've been thinking." The driver commented. "This...this doesn't feel right somehow."

"What are you babbling about now?" She asked him.

"Well...they're kids!" He told her. "That one in the black...he couldn't have been much older than my Howie."

"Yeah, and?" The cameraman asked.

"Well...maybe we shouldn't broadcast this." He suggested. Both his colleagues burst out laughing, and only stopped when they realised he wasn't kidding.

"Oh yeah, I'm really going to ignore the biggest scoop of the year!" She snapped sarcastically. "We're journalists, reporting news is what we do! Don't you think that the city has a right to know that the people we've been relying on to save us all year aren't even old enough to vote?"

"But...they're kids!" He repeated. "If we release this..."

"Do you think any of the others will care?" The reporter asked him. "I know I sure as hell don't!"

"But what'll it do to their lives?" He asked. "No one will leave them alone! They won't..."

"Yeah, can you imagine? Hiraldo, Leno, the book deals, the publicity tours..." The cameraman rhymed off. "They'll be set for life! It'll be the best thing that ever happened to them!"

"I just can't help thinking..."

"That would be why you drive the van and we pick the stories!" The reporter interrupted him dismissively, patting him on the head. "You just stick to driving and leave the thinking to us."

At the Holling house, Jake stormed out the house, his parents following him as he tried to walk away. His mother was in hysterics.

"Jake, come back in here now!" Mr Holling demanded. Jake just looked to him.

"There's nothing else to say!" Jake told him.

"You've been lying to us for months!" He yelled at him. "You've been hiding..."

"For this exact reason!" Jake yelled back. "Do you think this has been fun for me? Do you think I woke up one morning and just decided I WANTED my whole life to be decided for me?"

"Jake, you can't go!" His mother begged him. "You're a child..."

"Really? I thought that was the point of that Bar Mitzvah!" He answered.

"That is no way to talk to your mother Jake!" His dad said angrily. "You are MY son, this...this Gosei has NO RIGHT...!"

"It doesn't matter anymore! It's too late!" Jake told him. He was in tears as he looked to his family. "I'm sorry, really I am, but...this is the only way."

His father approached him and looked to his son.

"Promise me you'll be home eventually." He begged him. "Please."

"I love you." He said in response as he handed a letter to his father. "Please, give this to Allison. Hopefully she'll understand."

As he walked away, unable to make a promise that he knew he might never be able to keep. He didn't have any way of telling when, if ever he would be able to come home where it wouldn't drag his family's life into chaos. His anger building in him he was determined to turn it into the strength he'd need to drag his battered, weary body through the battles to come. They had taken everything from him, and he was determined to do the same to them.

Troy finished packing a few personal items in his bag when his father knocked the door to his bedroom gently. Troy looked around.

"How's mom...?"

"She's taking it well, all things considered." Mr Burrows told him. "Did you...?"

"I took some stuff for Jordan." He assured him. Mr Burrows came and hugged him tightly.

"I'm proud of you." He told him as they parted. "Believe in yourself. Anyone with any sense would. Gosei chose well."

"Thanks dad." Troy answered. "I love you."

With that, he teleported back to the Command Centre leaving his father in the empty room. He couldn't help worrying for his son, no matter how much he believed in him. He turned back into the room, seeing how empty it seemed without them, and turned out the light.

Back in the Goodall place, Gia was in the bedroom with Cat, holding her hand, cradling her head gently on her shoulder. Emma knocked on the door, coming in quietly.

"Gia...it's time." She told her. Gia just nodded sadly, before looking to Cat.

"Please, don't say it." Cat begged her. "Maybe if you don't say the word...it won't seem so much like this is it."

Gia pulled off her leather jacket, and wrapped it around Cat, looking into her eyes and smiling, before kissing her softly. She got up, and stood with Emma, before teleporting out of the room. Cat just pulled her jacket around her tightly, lying back on the bed as her tears began.

The Rangers got back to the Command Centre, finding Jordan waiting for them. He signalled to the screen.

"Metal Alice is back." He told them. "And it looks like she's brought a new friend along for the party."

"One or a thousand, I don't care anymore." Jake put down flatly. "There's nothing left for them to take."

"Alright guys, remember what I kept saying about anger?" Troy asked them. "Well forget it. Use it; let it get the adrenaline going. This time, this is it. We fight, and we keep fighting until there's nothing left to fight!"

They all nodded in agreement as they lined up. They held their morphers in their hands.

"This is it then." Gia stated. "Nowhere to go!"

"No one to help!" Emma added.

"Nothing to lose." Jordan stated.

"Bring it on!" Troy concluded.

"Go Go Megaforce!" They all roared together, slamming their cards into their morphers as they teleported into battle.

**A/N:** Two chapters in one day! I know I don't manage this often, but I was determined to do it tonight as a little Christmas present to my regular readers. I won't be doing any writing at all tomorrow, spending the day with my family. Merry Christmas to you all.


	21. The Messenger

The Rangers arrived at the Warehouse District, finding Metal Alice and Vrak studying one of the units there. It was the largest warehouse in the area. As they got there, Metal Alice turned to face them, having only been dimly aware of their presence.

"Rangers, I was starting to think you'd finally given up." She taunted them.

"That's something we'll never do." Troy snapped in response. "You're finished Alice! It doesn't matter if you take us out! There will always be someone to fight!"

"We don't care what it costs anymore!" Jake added. "Now, where's your friend?"

"Oh...right, I almost forgot about him." She responded. Just then, The Messenger stepped out of the warehouse. He looked the Rangers up and down, scanning them before turning to Vrak.

"These are the Rangers that gave you so much trouble?" He asked. Vrak just stared blankly at him. He looked back to the Rangers. "I am The Messenger, special Envoy of The Armada!"

Troy felt a shiver as he heard him say this. He had never heard the name before; he had no idea what it meant, but all his dreams...all he had seen in his dreams was a massive invasion, thousands of warriors...hundreds of ships. Before they had destroyed Malkor and the Insectoids, he had originally believed it was them, that they were just the precursor to a much larger invasion, but since he had started to see their forces dwindle and lose power, he was starting to believe that he had made a terrible mistake. As they became more and more aware of Vrak's double-dealing and scheming, he had started to suspect that Vrak was the real architect behind it all. Of course with Metal Alice wiping his mind, he was now doubting even that.

"You know what, we don't care anymore!" Jordan snarled. "We don't care if you work for Lord Zedd, or The Armada or Metal Alice or even the God Damned Easter Bunny! You're all going down!"

"I have been tasked with clearing resistance in preparation for my master's arrival." He snarled as he attacked Troy, with a sword mounted to his wrist. "You will be the target of all my wrath!"

"Alright, I'll take Alice!" Jordan announced to the others as she came after him.

"But Jordan..."

"If we overwhelm one of them, then we can cut down the odds!" He explained. "Finish Vrak, then help Troy!"

"Take them out one at a time! Got it!" Noah answered as he, Jake and Gia fell upon Cyber Vrak, attacking him in full fury.

Troy had run inside the warehouse, followed closely by The Messenger. He brought out his Megaforce Blaster, firing a round at him.

"Royal Shield!" He called out as massive metal places mounted to his back and sides seemed to grow, and surround him like giant metal wings, deflecting the blast. Troy just looked to him as he recalled the shield. Troy rushed immediately to the attack, swinging his Ultra Sword with all his might into his guard. The Messenger finally locked with him, grabbing the handle of the Ultra Sword.

"You pathetic humans, you really have no idea what you're dealing with." He announced. "Did you really think that Vrak was capable of orchestrating all of this?"

"Frankly, we're past the point of caring!" Troy responded, kicking him to try and drive him away. The Messenger just stared at him, completely unfazed by the attack. He cast up a whirlwind attack from somewhere within his chest. Troy tried as hard as he could to stand up to it, but was eventually blown off his feet, tumbling through some machinery.

"Believe me, you will care! I am but the first of many!" He informed them. "And if this is all you have to offer? Then you will fail!"

Outside, Jordan was battling Metal Alice, who was trying as hard as possible to finish him. He could see the difference in her attacks now, realising that her anger was getting the better of her. Smashing the handle of his sword into her face, he realised this was the best chance he had of defeating her once and for all. All he had to do was keep her mind from focusing on the task at hand, just as she had done to him so many times before.

"That wasn't too bad for an abomination was it?" Jordan asked her. "I'm guessing since this Messenger guy isn't one of yours, he's a major spanner in the works."

"He is of no concern!" She shrieked as she went for him again. Jordan managed to avoid her attempt to thrust her blade into his chest, and scored a nasty swipe down through her thigh, damaging her leg.

"Really? The way I see it, the way everything's getting under your skin like this, the way you're letting yourself get angry...I think this is a major problem for you!" He told her. "Your reaction seems almost...human."

Metal Alice screamed like a maniac as she swung with a frenzy of blows, which Jordan was barely able to avoid, before he managed to grab her wrist. He brought down the Robo Blade, taking her arm off just below the elbow, leaving him holding it, and the sword as she staggered away. He swung once more, sending her falling to the ground, leaking vital fluids over the ground, just as Vrak staggered into view, being sent there by a power blast from the others. Jordan prepared his Vulcan Cannon.

"Say hi to RICO for me!" Jordan told her as he powered up the Knight Dynamic attack. Vrak saw the attack coming and stepped in the way, blocking it with his arm and shoulder, which were torn almost completely off. The Messenger was coming out of the warehouse, throwing Troy over their heads as he saw this. He analysed the situation, before making his decision.

"We have underestimated you this time." He told the Rangers. "It will NOT happen again!"

With that, they disappeared, leaving the Rangers to catch their breath.

"Well, we got them on the run." Jake remarked, trying to find any positive results in the outcome.

"Yeah, but they escaped." Noah reminded him. "That means they'll just repair and upgrade themselves."

"All we can do is head back to the Command Centre and wait for them to show up again." Troy told them. "Next time they show up, either they go down or we do!"

Meanwhile, back at the underwater base, Vrak was in a booth, getting repaired while Metal Alice was working on attaching a replacement arm. The Messenger was looking through footage of their previous battle.

"These Rangers are a lot tougher than I gave them credit for." The Messenger commented, looking to Vrak. "It seems I was premature in judging your efforts."

Vrak didn't say anything, not that The Messenger expected him to. He approached Vrak, starting to work on the console next to him. Metal Alice looked up from her work.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"I am just checking these upgrades you are fitting him with." He told her. "I have to say, your work is most impressive."

"Thank you." She replied. "I am but a faithful servant of..."

"Ah, I would expect nothing less Metal Alice." He told her. As she finished up, and left to perform other duties, The Messenger turned his attention back to the console. He looked to the programme and smiled, before hooking himself into the mainframe.

"This is impressive." He told her. "But I just need to make a few minor modifications."

As he finished his alterations to the programme, he looked to another screen, before opening up a communications link.

"This is The Messenger, we have encountered more resistance than first believed, but we will proceed as scheduled." He announced. "Prepare for the invasion."

"Message received." An ominous voice replied. "The Armada is approaching the outer reaches of the galaxy. Prepare for our arrival. Victory will be ours."

Detective Barnes arrived at the lab in the precinct, looking to the lab tech there wearily.

"OK, what exactly am I here to see?" She asked.

"We thought you might just like to see this." The lab tech told her, stepping aside. She saw the lower arm of Metal Alice, still holding her sword, lying on their work bench. Detective Barnes' mouth hung open as she inspected it.

"Where...where exactly did you get this?" She asked him. The lab tech just sighed.

"That's just it, we didn't." He told her. "It just...appeared here."

"Appeared?" Detective Barnes asked him. He just nodded, before presenting an envelope to her.

"This is addressed to you." He told her. "It came with...well...that."

She opened the envelope, pulling out a note that was inside.

"Have the lab check this out." She read the message aloud. "I couldn't explain before, but I doubt it matters now. At least now someone will know the truth."

She looked to the sword, and sighed.

"The Edwards kid didn't do it." She told the lab tech. She shook her head in regret thinking about the fact that as soon as communications were re-established, largely because of her, the identities of the Rangers would be broadcast. The news crews had been following her when she went to confirm her suspicions. She only wanted to know so that she could confirm her suspicion that Jordan was innocent of General Edward's murder. Now that she thought about it though, the news crews wouldn't care about that. All they would care about was the race to be the first to break the biggest mystery of the year. "God, what have I done?"

In the Command Centre, the Rangers were taking their down-time to acclimatise themselves to the Command Centre as their new home. Although they had, on occasion, stayed over in the cave when the situation called for it, they had never really considered it as a home long-term. Tensou had prepared side-chambers for them to make them as comfortable as possible. Noah was sitting on the edge of his bed as Emma came in, seeing that he hadn't unpacked anything yet. She couldn't really blame him, unpacking was basically a way of accepting the fact that they were not going home. As she came closer, she saw him holding a trophy in his hands. She thought it was one of his science trophies, but on closer inspection, the name plate wasn't his.

"Quinn gave me this." He told her sadly. "She asked me to bring it back when I'm coming home."

"We're all hopeful." Emma replied in a whisper as she sat with him. He just shook his head.

"I told her, it isn't going to happen." Noah answered. "I told her, once the news breaks, once our identities are revealed, there's no way we'll be left alone. The only way our families will be left alone is once the reporters and all the others figure out we're not coming back."

"Noah..."

"All I wanted was to be normal, is that too much to ask?" Noah yelled. "Look at all the other Ranger teams. What about them? They all got to retire!"

"Noah..."

"The Ocean Bluff team became pizza waiters!" He continued. "They all went on to work in shops, or become musicians or run sports academies...all of them got to have normal lives!"

"Noah..."

"All I wanted was to finish my duty and go home." He told her. "I figured I'd go to university, maybe work in a lab somewhere...maybe one day I'd have some kids. Weren't my plans good enough?"

"Noah, we all feel that way. We all feel cheated." She assured him. "Do you think I want to live in this cave?"

"It's just...it's not fair." Noah complained. "I love Quinn, but I know I can't have a life with her, not after this. I went to her place and I told her..."

"You told her it was over." Emma surmised.

"I told her to find someone else, someone who can give her the life I can't." Noah informed her. "She was my first Emma. She was my first girlfriend, and I didn't lose her because of some stupid fling, or some pointless fight. I didn't even lose her because we grew apart. I lost her because of this damned war!"

"Noah, it's alright to feel angry, we all do." Emma answered.

"I just...I don't know what we're meant to do." He told her. "What if we do win? What if we do finish this Messenger and Vrak and Metal Alice, and however many other freak shows decide they want to join the party, what then? We can't go home! We'll never be left alone!"

"Well, I guess that's something we have to figure out then." Emma told him. "In the meantime, I guess we just have to make the best of making this our home."

Just then, Jake came into the room. He looked between them.

"Emma, Troy was looking for you." Jake told her. "He's in your room."

"Are you going to be alright?" She asked Noah. He just nodded his head.

"I guess I just need to get settled in." He told her. "Thanks Emma."

"You're welcome." She told him as she left. Jake looked to the two beds in the room and then to Noah.

"I guess you've chosen this one." He stated as he dumped his stuff on the other bed. Noah just shrugged.

"Let's just get some sleep." He muttered as he rolled over in his bed, pulling his covers around himself. "Troy said he wants to start training early tomorrow."

As he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, all Noah could think of was the things he would never get to do. He would never get to go to the Graduation Ball, he wouldn't get to go to college, all he had was this interminable war, and the hopes that those he left behind would go on to have lives worth living. That was his reason for fighting now; he just hoped that it would be enough.

In another room, Troy was getting ready for bed when Emma came in.

"How is everyone?" He asked her.

"They're doing as well as you'd expect." Emma told him sadly. "I doubt any of them ever intended on spending the rest of their lives in a cave."

"We can figure out something when we win." He told her. "I mean, Jason did say he had friends in high places right? Maybe if we get through this, we can see if he can figure out something."

"I guess so." Emma answered. Troy just took her hand.

"I know this has to be hard." Troy told her. "I mean...I know how close you and your dad are."

"Can we please just not talk about it?" She asked him. "It's been a really exhausting day."

Troy just nodded in agreement, and was about to leave her, when she pulled him back.

"Please...I just...I really don't want to be alone tonight." She told him. "Would you stay with me?"

Troy just lay down on the bed next to her, pulling her into himself and wrapping his arms around her as he pulled the covers over them. It wasn't long before exhaustion overtook them, and they were both sound asleep.


	22. The Fate of Metal Alice

As morning came, The Messenger was watching the monitor of his long-range scan. He didn't acknowledge Metal Alice as she came into the room behind him, concentrating on what was coming.

He had served as a herald, an envoy of The Armada for longer than most would consider a lifetime. It was his job to scout ahead of his masters, to approach new worlds and prepare them for their arrival.

Such was the power of The Armada that he often had little work to do. It was often his judgement call to make what was necessary to prepare a world for his masters' conquest. If they were an advanced people, with a useful level of infrastructure in place, often he would simply offer them the opportunity to welcome The Armada without resistance. There was little point in decimating a perfectly good population of slaves if they could be convinced that resisting would be pointless. If there was nothing useful though, or if there was a resistance to his presence, he was to at least begin efforts to wipe it from the map, preferably with minimal damage to the overall planet.

He had been downloading all the data he could find on the Rangers, having found them to be much stronger and more resilient than he had given them credit for initially. He had already ruled out any possibility of a peaceful resolution. Humans were a primitive, unreasonable species, valuing their freedom and their pointless ability to choose their own lives, no matter how self-destructive, over simple acceptance of the fact that they faced a foe they could never possibly defeat. Their history was littered with examples of people standing and fighting against not just difficult, but often literally hopeless odds for that freedom. The Rangers, it seemed, exemplified that most troublesome trait. In their darkest hour, when Lord Zedd had been on the verge of complete victory over the galaxy almost fifteen years before, they had still fought and with the sacrifice of Zordon, even proven victorious. Of course, he doubted there was anyone left that would make such a sacrifice. The time of true heroes was long since over.

"My Lord, the production run has been going at one hundred percent just as you ordered." She told him. He lifted his head, not even looking at her, casting a glance at Vrak.

"His upgrades are almost complete." He informed her. "I will need you to go on ahead as my vanguard."

"But My Lord, the Rangers..."

"Take your army." He told her. "We will be along momentarily."

"How many?" She asked them.

"All of them." The Messenger replied, showing her the screen. She saw numerous ships extending across the screen, arriving at the edge of the galaxy, led by a truly gargantuan ship, that looked almost like a chariot being drawn by a pair of golden stallions. She looked to The Messenger. "By the day's end, the invasion will begin, and the Rangers will be defeated, one way or another."

"Of course My Lord." She answered, before turning and heading from the room. The Messenger looked back to Vrak.

"Do not worry Your Highness." He told him. "Your victory may have taken longer than expected, but any plan that is not open to revision is doomed to failure. That is why your kind will win the galaxy."

Back on The Island, the Rangers were trying to get used to life on their new home. They still didn't really know where exactly Gosei's island actually was, the best guess Noah could offer was somewhere near the equator by virtue of the fact the daylight hours didn't really fluctuate during the year, and the climate remained constant throughout as well. All things considered, if it wasn't for the fact they had to leave everything about their lives behind, for somewhere to spend the remainder of their lives, there certainly seemed to be worse places.

Emma was sitting on a rock, looking out over a valley. Gia came to her side, sitting down with her.

"Feeding the pet?" Gia asked her, taking up a seat. Emma just nodded, throwing a mango into a clearing below, where the Sasquatch, the creature that at one time had been their enemy Bluefur now lived.

"He seems happy enough in his new home doesn't he?" Emma asked her.

"I don't think he really had the same attachments to his home that we did." Gia answered. "I mean, as long as he has a decent supply of food, some space to run around in and a good tree to scratch his ass with, he'll be happy."

"I suppose this place is beautiful." Emma commented.

"Not to mention there are other attractions." Gia stated, pointing down to a rocky platform further down the cliff, where Troy was performing a sword kata, training ahead of the upcoming battles. He had taken his shirt off in the heat. Emma just shrunk away a little.

"I...I hadn't really noticed." She stammered, turning a little pink as she looked to Gia, who was completely unconvinced. She let out a nervous laugh. "OK, I have to admit, that is one good thing about this island."

"Who knows...maybe once the war is over, things won't be so bad?" She suggested. "Think Gosei would mind us building a condo over by the shore? Bringing our family here?"

"Somehow I think that's wishful thinking." Emma replied. Just then, Noah showed up. He knelt down with them.

"Tensou's still working on the power ruby." He told them. "He's confident once he's done, Gosei will have enough refined rubies to power his armour indefinitely."

"Well, that's one thing at least." Gia answered. "I don't know about you, but it took me about a week to build my desktop computer. I don't want to think how long it'd take me to rebuild a zord."

"I'm not even sure we can." Noah told them. "They're keeping it pretty quiet, but the last time I overheard anything, Tensou said something about recycling the parts."

"Recycling?" Emma asked. "As in...making something new?"

"I guess it's possible." Noah answered with a shrug. "I looked it up, and apparently the first team recycled some of their zords into new ones."

Just then, Jake and Jordan ran out of the cave. They stopped by their friends.

"Tensou picked up a force approaching Harwood from the sea." He told them. "It's big."

"How big?" Gia asked.

"VERY big." Jake assured her. "It looks like Metal Alice put production into overdrive."

They got up, heading to where Troy was training. He just looked around as they approached him.

On the shores near Harwood, Metal Alice started to rise out of the ocean, marching with the army that had been built by her factory. She had been running her production non-stop now in preparation for this final push. Dozens of Rotox's flanked her as they marched up out of the sea, heading up the shore. Loogies started to appear as they got to the shore. The Messenger had given her leave to take everything they had against the Rangers. He was determined that this was to be the last push, something that troubled Metal Alice to no end.

She knew that The Armada was coming, and that soon it would arrive. She was sure that when they did, she would no longer have the raw power she would need to destroy them. It was only the fact that she controlled Vrak's thoughts that stopped him revealing her true duplicity to The Messenger, warning him of her intention to take control for herself, to rebuild the empire her lost love, Lord Zedd had once dreamed of building. There would be a new renaissance once she took her rightful place at the helm of the galaxy.

The Rangers appeared before them, staring them down. Dark clouds started to form overhead as they faced off. Metal Alice just gestured to her army.

"It's over Rangers!" She declared. "If you want to beg for your lives, the time to do so is now!"

"I was about to make you the same offer!" Jordan shot back. She felt her rage rising, hearing the arrogance in his tone.

"You dare to speak...?"

"I dare to speak how I wish to a delusional, psychotic idiot that can't accept when her time's past!" Jordan told her. "Lord Zedd put you in the freezer and forgot about you! He moved on! The fact you can't do the same is just pathetic!"

"I guess we're clear on the plan then." Troy declared as the first raindrops started to fall. "Jordan, if she's so desperate to join Lord Zedd, send her there. We'll deal with her toys."

"With pleasure." Jordan answered as his armour formed up around him.

"Go Go Megaforce!" The others called out in unison as they rushed forward, the first salvos being fired their way from their assembled enemies. They formed up into Ultra Mode, and prepared to unleash every ounce of power that was available to them. They knew The Messenger and Vrak would likely be along at some point, but they had to take the opportunity to destroy one of their most powerful foes while they had the chance.

Metal Alice and Jordan crossed their blades; each of them determined that this would be the last time. The rain started to fall more steadily as she faced off against him.

"You still fight, yet you don't know why." She taunted him.

"At least I don't fight for the love of a guy that turned his back on me before the Crusades." He taunted her as they exchanged a few blows. "You know he married someone else right? You know he had a kid!"

"You might think my reasons for fighting petty, but at least I have a reason! At least I have a purpose!" She protested. She produced a glowing red memory crystal, and threw it to him. "Consider this a gift. If you live to view it, you'll finally understand how Gosei damned you to this before you were even born!"

Jordan fell upon her once more, both of them sending Loogies and Rotox's flying in their wake as they focused purely on each other. Jordan could feel his hatred for her, for everything she had done to him and people he cared about, but now rather than letting it consume him, he used it to keep his mind on the task at hand. This time, he would concentrate more on defeating her than making her hurt in every way he could imagine.

On a cliff, just above the battle, Vrak and The Messenger arrived, watching on from a safe distance. Vrak just looked to The Messenger.

"Now?" He asked.

"No, not just yet." The Messenger told him, holding up a hand. "Not just yet." With that, he activated a device in his hand.

Over in the Command Centre, Tensou was working hard on the power ruby, cutting it and refining pieces of it for use in Gosei's armour. He found his attention grabbed as he saw something curious on his workbench.

It was a small, triangular piece of metal, the tip of Metal Alice's old sword. He remembered it had been retrieved from an injury Jordan had suffered in battle with her a short time ago. It seemed to be just a piece of metal, a part of a blade that had snapped off in his armour in battle, but now, he saw something that troubled him. It was glowing.

He spun around as all of a sudden, loogies started to flood into the Command Centre, followed by two Rotox units.

"It...It's a tracking programme!" He screamed as he fired off blasts to keep his attackers at bay. He knew he was hopelessly outgunned, but without the Rangers there, he was the only one there to defend the base. As a couple of Loogies grabbed him, he sent a massive electrical charge through his body, sending them flying into the cave walls.

Back on the ground, the Rangers cut through wave after wave of their enemies, hordes that seemed to have no end to them, but as he unleashed a tornado attack, Troy finally managed to see clear space. He leapt into the air, bringing down his Ultra Sword in a double-handed overhead strike, cutting a Rotox unit in half, in one clean blow. He allowed himself the opportunity to look around.

"Keep it up guys!" He called out, seeing more and more spaces in their lines. Their numbers were dwindling, and no more were coming out of the ocean. An end seemed to finally be within sight.

"Look who just showed up!" Jake called out, pointing to the cliff. "They're not making a move!"

"Then concentrate on what you're doing!" Noah replied as he unleashed a storm of blasts from his Shark Bowgun, and his Ultra Sword, dual wielding them. A dozen or more fell under his blasts. "We can't worry about them until we're done here!"

"No problem!" Gia screamed as she carved a path through them, coming to Troy's side. The other three formed up behind him. He looked to them, and pulled out his Power Card.

"One last push guys!" Troy called out. "Ultimate Victory Charge!"

With a massive surge of energy, the last of the robotic army was completely vaporized. Metal Alice was distracted by the explosion and turned to see the last charred remains of her forces fall. There were no more loogies, no more robots...it was just her.

Jordan took the opportunity to gain the upper hand. Sweeping her sword aside, he powered up his blade to full strength, giving it everything he had, and with a hellish cry, he brought it down, sending pieces of her cybernetic body flying in all directions, and cutting deep into what was left of her true Eltarian form. She landed in the ground a little way off, almost completely crippled. She managed to get to her knees, but couldn't bring herself up onto her feet any longer. She reached for her sword.

"Give it up you lunatic!" Jordan screamed at her. "Your army's destroyed! You're barely alive, what will it take for you to finally be happy?"

"I will never stop until the stain on my people's blood is erased from existence!" She screamed at him. Jordan was sent flying as a powered Cyberrang from Vrak knocked him from his feet. The other Rangers assembled behind Jordan as Vrak came to Metal Alice's side.

"My Lord...I am almost done." She told him. "Please, save me. I have always served you faithfully..."

"Have you now Wallacia?" He asked her. She just looked to him in horror, realising what he had said.

"How...how did you...?"

"You didn't really think that The Armada wouldn't have prepared for the eventuality one of their agents was being coerced do you?" He asked her. "You see our friend up on that cliff? He noticed something in our last battle. He saw me rush to take that hit for you, to sacrifice myself to save you."

"I..."

"I would never have willingly spilled my royal blood to save a simple servant." He told her. "When I was the one who carved my father's heart from his chest to appease Malkor, did you really think I would care enough about a robot to save them? He realised something was amiss, and gave me a little...wake up call."

"He restored your mind!" She gasped in realisation. Vrak just nodded in response. There was a clap of thunder as he caressed her face with his hand.

"You have been a 'loyal' servant." He told her. "But now...you have outlived your usefulness. Look on the bright side...you will finally be reunited with your people."

He powered up a Cyberrang, and brought it down. Jordan and the other Rangers watched as she slumped to the ground, completely lifeless. He got up, turning towards the Rangers as she exploded. Jordan felt his heart running cold as his hand tightened around the memory crystal. At long last, after all the suffering she had caused, she was finally gone.

"He...he destroyed her himself." Noah stammered.

"I guess he decided her knowledge of Eltarian technology wasn't too useful anymore." Jordan surmised. The Messenger leapt down off the cliff, landing as the first flash of lightning arced through the air.

"I have to commend you Rangers; you got rid of a troublesome enemy for me." He told them. "Now, I just have you to deal with, before my task is complete."

In the Command Centre, Tensou's battle was not going well. He was dealing with the Loogies, but the Rotox units were far beyond his abilities.

He hit the wall after a blast, where one of his wheels flew off, leaving him unable to flee from them any longer. One of the Rotox units closed in on him, ramming a blade through his chest plate.

"Mal...function..." He buzzed out as sparks flew and vital fluids leaked onto the floor. "System...failure..."

The Rotox unit continued to smash into him, sending pieces flying in all directions, littering the floor of the Command Centre. His vision was blinking in and out. He could barely see the statue on the wall open up. Knowing that Gosei was about to risk all to come out to defend the Command Centre, he blasted the workbench, scattering pieces of the power ruby on the floor. One landed close enough to the door of the chamber that just as his primary power was about to expire, he could see an armoured gauntlet reaching out, and picking it up.


	23. Message Received

The Rangers were feeling the effects of exhaustion as The Messenger and Vrak began their attack. The storm grew wilder as weapons flashed through the air in a desperate struggle that would ultimately decide the fate of the world.

Gia, Jake and Noah were keeping Vrak at bay while Jordan, Emma and Troy faced The Messenger. The two of them were easily more powerful than Metal Alice, and together they made a formidable force in and of themselves. The Messenger grabbed Troy, pulling him into the line of fire as Jordan lined up a shot with his Vulcan Cannon.

"Damn it, I can't get a shot!" He called out. Emma attacked The Messenger wildly with her Ultra Sword, trying to force him to let Troy go. The Messenger used the distraction to launch missiles, sending Jordan flying into the ocean, allowing him to concentrate on the Rangers.

"It's too late Rangers; your only hope is to surrender to our rule!" He warned them. "The Armada is soon going to be upon us. Once they arrive, you will serve, or be destroyed!"

"We'd rather be destroyed than kneel before you!" Troy answered as he finally managed to break free. The Messenger fired off power blasts point-blank, only to have Troy and Emma's Ultra Armour reflect it straight back with their extending wings. He staggered slightly, and Troy noticed him clutching at his face.

"We must have damaged his vision!" Troy announced. "Now's our chance Emma, focus everything we have on Vrak!"

"The help would be appreciated!" Jake answered as he spun clear, sending a Rock Crush attack flying at Vrak. They could see signs of superficial damage, and realised that Noah, Gia and Jake had been having a lot more luck in their battle.

"Alright guys, before the big guy recovers!" Troy told them. "Just like we practiced!"

"Sea Shower!" Noah called out, preparing his power card.

"Rock Crush!" Gia and Jake added.

"Twistornado!" Troy and Emma concluded. They formed up a triangular power beam, combining all of their elements into a single, unstoppable attack. Vrak stood before the beam, absorbing its destructive power, all the while metal sheared off his frame and sparks flew. He could see from his display that much of his energy was being used simply keeping him from being vaporised. He fell to his knees before them as they started to surround him.

"It's over Vrak, call off your lap dog and we'll let you leave here with your life!" Troy yelled at him. Vrak just started to laugh.

"You ignorant fool, do you really think my life is something that a mere human can offer to take or grant as he sees fit?" He asked. "It's almost as laughable as your belief I can order The Messenger to do anything!"

"Wait...The Messenger is your boss?" Troy asked him. Vrak just shook his head.

"He works for the true power, the one I served since the beginning." He informed Troy. "It is laughable that you offer me my life when soon it is you who will be begging for yours!"

"Guys, I hate to say this, but...the other guy's getting back up." Jake warned them. Troy looked to his friends.

"We finish Vrak, then we're ready to deal with The Messenger." Troy told them as they lined up again. Vrak stared at them, getting to his feet as he prepared for the attack.

"Ultimate Victory Charge!" They called out together, unleashing their attack. Unfortunately, it seemed that Vrak was prepared for this. Using most of the power he had left, he braced for the attack, catching it, before reflecting it back on them. The Rangers all flew to the ground, tumbling to a halt a long way off. As Troy started to shake the cobwebs loose, he noticed his Ultra Mode Armour starting to glow ominously. He watched as it disappeared, and he felt the power leave him, but it felt different somehow than any other time this had happened. He looked to his morpher, seeing that it was charred and useless. Looking to the others, he saw that their morphers were the same.

"He...he reflected our own power back at us." Noah explained.

"Rock Crush!" Jake called out, putting a card into his morpher. Unfortunately, it just sat idle, and did nothing. He couldn't feel any power in it at all. He opened the mouth and slammed it shut again. "Rock Crush!"

"It's not use...he's wrecked the morphers!" Noah told him.

"But we're still morphed!" Gia pointed out.

"Yeah, but without our morphers, we can't morph again." He told them. "We need to finish this with what we have or...or we're all finished."

Vrak fell to the ground, just as The Messenger came back into view. He patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry; I'll see to it that you are tended to. You have served My Lord well." The Messenger commended him. "Now, since you were just giving out offers of mercy, how about I extend you the same courtesy?"

"It doesn't matter what you do to us." Jake reminded him. "Gosei..."

"Gosei will soon be nothing but a memory." He told them. "You see, Metal Alice did do one useful thing, she led us straight to your Command Centre. As we speak, my agents are inside tearing it apart."

"Tensou!" Emma shrieked. "Gosei!"

"Soon, they and all your little toys will be completely destroyed, leaving you all alone." He told them. "Look on the bright side though. If you give up now, you may be slaves, but at least you won't be alone. There will be no need to conceal your pathetic families. You will be able to return home. Just think of them. Think of your loved ones and give up now."

"We are thinking of our loved ones." Emma replied, choking back some tears as she thought about seeing her dad one more time. "We're thinking that we'll have to look them in the face."

"As you wish." He replied, gesturing to the Rangers to attack him. Troy and the others all prepared for one more attack.

Back in the Command Centre, Gosei stood among the wreckage of his enemies, surveying his handiwork. The newly refined power ruby hooked up to the power unit in his armour had given his life support unit the power it needed for him to leave his chambers without risk of suffocation. Tensou's work had paid off, but he feared that it was too late. He went over to the wreckage of one of the Rotox units and pulled it aside, throwing it away with one hand, looking down on Tensou.

He felt his heard sinking looking down on his faithful servant. Most of his body had been torn to pieces, and the only indication he was still functioning was a faint light in his one remaining eye. He saw battery fluids spilling across the floor, and looked to him sadly.

"They damaged your primary power cell." He told Tensou. "You are running on auxiliary power, but it will not last long."

"I accomplished what I needed to." Tensou told him. "I am proud to have served the Rangers."

"Rest well my friend." Gosei replied, reaching down to Tensou's head, and removing a component. Tensou's eye faded to darkness. "You have earned it."

He looked to his cloak, seeing that it was badly burned. Pulling it off, he threw it aside as he left the Command Centre.

Back on the battlefield, the Rangers were now facing what seemed to be a pointless, futile battle. Without their Ultra Mode, The Messenger was simply too strong for them. Even their most powerful attacks seemed to barely faze him. He continued to toy with them, amusing himself at their attempts to carry on, even when the fight was clearly already lost.

"Enough of this!" He snarled, sending them all sprawling with a back-handed swipe of his blade. They hit the ground, their power completely spent, and de-morphed. They all looked to themselves, seeing that now, they had no power left. They were now completely defenceless, normal humans standing before The Messenger. He stood before them triumphantly.

"Well, it seems that for all your noble speeches and proud declarations, you finally get to live up to your promises to fight to the end." The Messenger declared. "You are now all finally at my mercy."

He watched as they all got back up, barely able to stand, but still facing him down. The sight was so pathetic, he couldn't believe their audacity.

"This really is too precious." He taunted them. "You have no power, no allies, no hope...and yet here you still stand! Are you really so eager to die?"

"We told you, we'll oppose you every step of the way!" Troy warned him. The Messenger just levelled an arm their way, a missile launcher preparing to fire.

"I gave you plenty of chances to surrender and yet you still refuse." He told them. "Remember, you chose this fate!"

"Hey asshole! Over here!" He heard a voice calling out. The other Rangers turned to see Jordan walking out of the ocean.

"Glad you could join us Robo Knight." The Messenger taunted him. "Is this where you mount some pointless last-minute attack?"

"No, this is where I offer you one last chance to leave before you're destroyed." He answered.

"You dare...?"

"What's the matter, are you afraid?" Jordan asked him. "I'll tell you what; I'll even make it easy for you!"

He recalled his armour inside himself, leaving only himself facing The Messenger.

"You...you're insane!" He called out. Jordan just smiled.

"I've got all I need right here." He told him. "Go ahead! Finish me off if you dare!"

"Jordan, what are you doing?" Gia screamed at him. "Now's no time to..."

"Trust me!" Jordan told her. "I know what I'm doing!"

The Messenger started to power up a huge power beam. Jordan stood, closing his eyes as he waited for the attack. As the blast came towards him, he held up his morpher, and cast a beam from it, locking with The Messenger's.

The Messenger poured on the power, hoping to eliminate Jordan, to burn him out, and seeing him fall to one knee, he felt like he was weakening. He stood, unleashing more and more power, but looking to Jordan, he felt something within him warning him that something wasn't right. Jordan just breathed deeply, not opening his eyes, and held the morpher fast as the energy flared up so intensely that rain was evaporating from the beam.

He tried to cut off the beam, but an unseen force would not allow him, like a new connection was drawing the energy out of him. Too late, he realised what was happening. Jordan had planned for this all along. He was using his morpher to draw off his energy. He struggled to hold on as Jordan stood up, finally severing the connection and allowing him to fall to the ground. The Rangers all gathered around him.

"OK, I do NOT recommend that." He told them, breathing deeply as he held up his morpher. "I set up a Trifusion Portal."

"You set up a...?" Noah started to ask. "Jordan, that...that's insane! How did you know...?"

"I can't explain it; it just...came to me." He told him. "Quick, your morphers."

The Rangers all held up their morphers as he placed his on top of them. Activating a command, they felt energy coursing through them as they started to glow. They all retrieved their morphers which were now completely repaired. Jordan fell backwards to the ground, being caught by Jake and Troy as he fell.

"Jordan..."

"I did my part...but I'm spent." He told them. "You'll need to finish this one."

He pulled out his Vulcan Cannon, handing it to Troy.

"Here, take this." He told him. "The time for mercy's over. Send them to Hell!"

"I will." He assured Jordan, taking the weapon from him. "I'm bringing this back."

As the Rangers all stood before The Messenger, who was only just starting to regain power, they morphed, appearing before him in Ultra Mode. He just looked up to them.

"This is impossible!" He screamed. "How...?"

"It's over!" Troy interrupted him. The Messenger just held up his hands.

"You...you can't do this!" He screamed. "I'm the one jamming communications! If you destroy me, your identities will be broadcast! The very people you're fighting to defend will hound you relentlessly! You'll lose everything! If you surrender, I can guarantee you and your families' clemency! You can go home!"

Troy looked to the others as they looked back to him. He had a point, once communications were back up; it would only be a matter of hours before their identities were public knowledge. They all nodded, before turning back to The Messenger.

"That's just something we have to deal with." He answered. "Knight Dynamic Victory Charge!"

The Messenger screamed as they fired off their blast, the combined might of their power and Jordan's Vulcan Blaster obliterating him. They looked across to where Vrak was hauling his broken body away.

"It's over Vrak!" Troy told him, aiming the Vulcan Cannon his way. Vrak just looked at him and laughed, pointing up.

"Trust me Rangers; I am the least of your problems." He told them. As Troy pulled the trigger, Vrak teleported disappearing just before the shot hit home. Troy and the others all de-morphed, looking around at the scene of destruction all around them.

"He got away." Gia remarked.

"It's not like he's coming back any time soon." Jake answered. "Look around, we've taken out all his cronies, and I have to think it'll take even Vrak a while to repair HIMSELF."

"The Command Centre!" Noah called out, remembering what The Messenger had told them. Troy looked around, seeing that Jordan was gone. He presumed that he must have teleported back for his own safety. They all hit the command on their morphers, teleporting away.

As they arrived in the Command Centre, they found the place littered with the wreckage left behind by the battle. The statue on the wall was open, and all the consoles were destroyed. As they surveyed the wreckage, Gia's eyes caught something that was sickeningly familiar.

"Tensou!" She shrieked, seeing the remains of the tiny robot lying on the ground. The Rangers all rallied around him surveying the wreckage. Noah just looked to them and shook his head.

"It's...it's too late." He told them. "His power cell's been destroyed. He's gone."

"Tensou." Emma said sadly as she placed her hand on his body, tears starting to form. He had always been there for them, right from the beginning. Seeing him like this broken and destroyed just left them feeling empty.

"There's nothing left." Jake told them. "Vrak's still out there, and there's nothing left."

Troy brought up his morpher, and started to speak.

"Gosei, where are you?" He asked. "Gosei, the Command Centre's destroyed! Tensou's gone, Jordan's gone..."

"Troy." Jake whispered. "I think we have to face facts. If they got in here, the odds are..."

"Rangers, you are victorious." Gosei commended them.

"Yeah, it doesn't really feel too much like a victory." Jake commented.

"Rangers, despite our best efforts, a new threat is almost here. The Armada will soon arrive." He told them. "Time is not on our side. We have much to prepare for."

"Prepare?" Jake asked.

"This threat is much greater than anything we have ever faced. You will need to find allies." Gosei told them. "You have all proven yourselves more often than I could ever have asked for. Now, you must prepare for the invasion."

"Where are you?" Troy asked. "Gosei, we need..."

"I have my own mission I must attend to." Gosei told them. "I could never have imagined being so proud of any team. For now, you must proceed alone. I will return when the time is right."

"When the time is...Gosei...GOSEI!" Troy called into the communicator. However, it was now dead. There was no answer on the other end of the line. Troy just looked to the others. They were battered, weary, far from home, and their Command Centre lay in ruins. They had no Zords, and only their own powers to rely on.

"I think I can repair most of these consoles." Noah suggested. "Between what's here and the uninvited guests Gosei left behind, we should have enough spare parts."

"Then what?" Jake asked.

"Until then, we'll just do what we can." Troy stated, pulling out his wallet. "Communications are back up right?"

"Troy? What are you doing?" Emma asked him.

"You heard what Gosei said." Troy reminded them, pulling out a business card. It carried the seal of the Office of the President of the United States. "We have to call in some friends."

Jordan started to come to, finding himself in a cave. It wasn't somewhere he recognised. He tried to get up, but felt a hand on his chest as he tried to move.

"Don't move, not yet." A voice told him. "Your armour will take some time to restore your strength."

Jordan looked up, his vision finally clearing. He looked up, into a black visor. It took a moment, and he had to think hard, but he finally got a memory of his childhood, seeing this figure.

"Phantom Ranger?" He asked.

"I did go by that name once." He replied. "You know me by a different name."

"Gosei?" He asked. Gosei just nodded, gesturing to the power ruby in his chest.

"Tensou managed to synthesise a power ruby that should keep my armour powered for some time." He told Jordan.

"My friends..."

"For now, your friends will have to make do without you." Gosei told him. Jordan just looked to him.

"Do without me?" He asked. "But...The Armada! I need to..."

"You must remain here Jordan, trust in your friends. They will find all the help they need." Gosei told him.

"So what am I meant to do in the meantime?" Jordan snapped at him. Gosei just held up a red memory crystal.

"I promised you this day would come." Gosei told him. "It is time for me to explain everything."

Fin.

**A/N:** OK, so this is the end of this story...and the main Megaforce storyline. I'll probably have some minor side works coming to span the time (I've heard the new season debuts February 14th...so my new season will most likely start some time after that!)

I apologise for the cliff-hanger, unfortunately the way the season ended, it was kind of unavoidable. I mean...leaving it hanging like that...for about THREE MONTHS? I know I can't be the only one feeling that sting! Hope you enjoyed it, and don't worry, I will be writing some pieces in the meantime to kill time until the new season starts. Happy New Year!


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